= 585 
RUELLIA paniculata. 
Christmas Pride of Jamaica. 
—a 
DIDYNAMIA ANGIOSPERMIA., 
Nat. ord. ACANTHI. Jussieu gen. 102. Div. J, Stamina 4 didynama. 
ACANTHACKE. Brown prod. 1. 472. 
RUELLIA. Cal. 5-partitus (nunc profundé 5-fidus), aqualis. Cor. 
infundibuliformis, limbo 5-fido, parim inzquali, patenti. Stam. 4 antheri- . 
fera inclusa: Anthere loculis parallelis, muticis. Germinis loculi poly- 
spermi. Caps. teretiuscula, subsessilis, dissepimento adnato. Semina 
retinaculis subtensa. Herbe oppositifolie, caulescentes, sepé pilose. lores 
axillares v. terminales. Brown prod, 1. 477. 
R. paniculata, foliis integerrimis, pedunculis dichotomis lateralibus, calyci- 
bus sessilibus: laciniaé suprema& majore. Lin. sp. pl. ed. 2. 2. 885. 
Ruellia paniculata. Mill. dict. ed. 8. n. 5. Swartz obs. 244. Willd. sp. pl. 
3.367. Hort. Kew. ed. 2. 4. 57. ; 
Speculum Veneris majus impatiens. Sloane jam. 1.158, t. 100. Sig: 2- 
Ruellia 1. procerior, subcinerea, hirsuta; pedunculis ramosis, flore multi- 
plici. Browne jam. 261. 
Caulis suffrutescens, 2-3-pedalis, ramosus, sepé prostratus, 4-gonus 
glaber, versiis apicem pubescens. Rami precipue ex paniculis formantur. 
Fol. petiolata, opposita, ovato-lanceolata, subserrata, nervosa, hirsutiuscula 
v. scabra; caulina majora; ramea sepe decidua: peti. breves. Panicule ex 
ramis oppositis dichotomis divaricatissimis ;. pedicellis 1-floris, floribus ma- 
jusculis cerulets v. purpurascentibus. Cal. 5-phyllus: foliola linearia, longa, 
erecta, hirsuta: hirsuties glandulosa. Cor. infundib. tubus calyce duplo 
longior ; limbo dilatato postice gibbus, anticé planus: limbus 5-jidus: lacinize 
subequales; posteriores 2 vix breviores, 3 anteriores patentiores ; omnes sub- 
rotunde, concave, incumbentes. Faux compressa pallidé cerulea. Fil. 4, 2 
basi tubi, duo dimidio breviora (rectius vix inequalia) per paria approxi- 
mata: anth. erecte, acuminate, albe, 2-valves. Germ. oblongum, acumi- 
natum: stylus longitudine tubi, Jiliformis: stig. 2-fidum, alterd lacinia lon- 
giore. Caps. acuminata, calyce cincta, 2-loc. ungue elasticose aperiens: 
sem. subrotunda, compressa, nigra. Tota herba subviscosa odorata, odore ad 
Camphoram accedente (quod in exemplari nostro non notavimus). Swartz l.c. 
Very common about Spanish Town in Jamaica, where, 
according to Browne in his account of the island, it gene- 
rally blows in December and January, and from that cir- 
cumstance has been named by the colonists “ Christmas 
Pride.” It makes a beautiful appearance among the bushes 
for the season of the year; and if skreened and supported by 
the neighbouring shrubs will attain the height of three feet, 
otherwise it seldom exceeds a foot and a half and lies along 
the ground, - “mere 
u 2 
