CVI. ACANTHACE*. 
5M 
[Rueltia. 
light blue flowers; corolla 2 in. long, 1*5 in. across. Capsule 
cylindric terete, 1*5 in. long. It is a native of America. 
Small herbs; stems elongate slender; leaves lanceo¬ 
late cuneate at base; flowers *75 in. long, pale 
lavender with 2 dark spots . . . . . (1) R. repens 
Stems creeping; leaves ovate broad-based; corolla 
1-25 in. long, violet . . . . . . (2) R. prostrata 
(1) R. repens Linn. Mant. 89; Clarke, l.c. 648. 
Slender weak sarmentose herb, branched. Leaves lanceolate 
pubescent, narrowed at base often quite narrow, 1 to 2 in. long, 
■2 to *5 in. wide; petioles -15 to -2 in. long. Flowers usually 
solitary axillary sessile. Calyx -2 in. long, lobes linear hairy. 
Corolla 75 in. long, *3 in. across mouth. Capsule -3 in. long, club- 
shaped beak acute. Seeds 5 to 8. Hob. Common in grassy spots; 
Singapore, Gardens; Bajau; Pulau Damar. Pahang, Sungei 
Chenei (Fox). Malacca, Chabau (Cantley); Panchur (Good- 
enough). Selangor, Kwala Lumpur. Perak (Scortechini). Penang, 
Waterfall, common. Kedah, Gunong Geriang; Alor Sta. Kelan- 
tan, Kota Bharu. 
var. linearis Clarke, l.c. 649. Leaves longer and narrower, 
2-25 in. long, -2 to -25 in. wide, Pahang, Sungei Tahan, Perak, 
Ipoh (Deschamps). Distrib. Indo-Malaya, China. Native names : 
Dras Malam; Akar Kurumak. Use: Rubbed on the body for 
heavy perspiration and restlessness at night in children. 
(2) R. prostrata Lam. Encycl. vi. 349. 
Creeping herb. Leaves ovate, base rounded acute, pubescent, 
1 in. long, '4 in. wide or less; petioles slender, *3 in. long or less. 
Flowers solitary, sessile. Sepals linear long-acuminate, hairy. 
Corolla gradually dilate upwards, 1-25 in. long, *5 in. wide at mouth, 
violet. Capsule -75 in. long, pubescent. Hah. Kedah, abundant 
on the seashore on Pulau Song Song (Ridley). Distrib. Indo- 
Malaya. 
Clarke lumps this species, very distinct in habit (it creeps on the ground 
in masses), shape of leaves, size and colour of flowers and size of fruit, as a 
mere form of R. repens. No two species could be more dissimilar. I have 
only once met with it in the Malay Peninsula. 
5 . APORUELLIA, Clarke 
Clarke separated this genus from Ruellia merely on account of 
the pollen grains not being honeycombed, but more or less prickly. 
It would be better to make it a section of Ruellia. Species 5 or 6, 
Malayan, South China, Australia. 
Leaves at base large; stem 1 ft. tall with few leaves; 
flowers in long-peduncled spikes, white. . . (1) A. sumatrensis 
Leaves in scattered pairs on stem; flowers axillary, 
blue . ... (2) A. axillaris 
(1) A. sumatrensis Clarke, l.c. 650; var. Ridleyi Clarke, l.c. 
Leaves at base oblong-obovate, tip rounded sparsely puberulous, 
