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Ruellia brevifolia

(Pohl) C.Ezcurra (1989)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Lamiales Family: Acanthaceae Genus: Ruellia

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Erect perennial herbs 0.5–1 m tall.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite and decussate (pairs of leaves alternating 90 degrees between nodes). Blades ovate 4–13 cm long, 2–4.5 cm wide. Surfaces hispidulous, green; lower surfaces paler; white cystoliths numerous and conspicuous. Margins entire. Petioles 6–30 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in cymose panicles. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Each subtended by 2 linear bracts 2–4 mm long. Calyx lobes 5, linear, ca. 10 mm long. Corolla 5-lobed, large and showy, bright red, 2.7–3.2 cm long. Stamens 4, in pairs, inserted on the corolla alternate with the lobes, sometimes 1 or more reduced to staminodes; anthers dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 2-carpellate; ovule placentation axile; style filiform, simple.

Fruit: Capsules with two cells; usually dehiscing explosively; clavate; 1.4–1.7 cm long; inconspicuously puberulent. Seeds 4–20; On small hooked stalks (modified funiculus) that ejects the seeds from the capsule; embryos usually large; endosperm absent.

Ploidy: 2n = 34

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Maui Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Notes

  • Description digitized by Pumehana Imada
  • Native to South America; in Hawai‘i cultivated as an ornamental.

Bibliography

Name Published In: Darwiniana 29: 278 (1989)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:174 (K, O [as R. graecizans]); Ezcurra 1993:802/Herbst & Wagner 1999:13 (Syn. R. graecizans = R. brevifolia); Oppenheimer 2003:4 (Mo, EM); Staples & Herbst 2005:91 (KEY, DESCR); Starr et al. 2010:61 (L)

Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R., & Sohmer, S. H. (1999). Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i, Vols. 1 and 2 (No. Edn 2). University of Hawai'i and Bishop Museum Press.

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Ruellia brevifolia Nuuanu Pali Dr. Above where the housing development ends Roadside, shaded, moist Preserved_Specimen Infrequent along road in shade Faccenda, K. 1904 Oahu BISH 2021-05-29
2 Ruellia brevifolia Punahou area, 1940 Manoa Rd In a shady lawn. Preserved_Specimen Weed; corolla crimson; flower not fragrant (afternoon). Lau, J. 1075 Oahu BISH 1985-06-11
3 Ruellia brevifolia Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu Groundcover. Preserved_Specimen Herb to 3' tall with brilliant red flowers. Herbst, D.R. 687 Oahu BISH 1967-10-31
4 Ruellia brevifolia Limahuli, Haena Guava woods and/or disturbed roadside. Preserved_Specimen Herb; bright red, delicate, 1-15. 1-2 cm long, 1/2-1 wide. Earle, E. 10 Kauai BISH 1972-06-04
5 Ruellia brevifolia Tantalus Dr. 1200ft elevation Roadside weed Preserved_Specimen Frequent along road at this elevation in moist areas Faccenda, K. 1680 Oahu BISH 2020-08-30
6 Ruellia brevifolia Limahuli, Haena Guava woods and/or disturbed roadside. Preserved_Specimen Herb; bright red, delicate, 1-15. 1-2 cm long, 1/2-1 wide. Earle, E. 10 Kauai BISH 1972-06-04
7 Ruellia brevifolia Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu. Aroid valley, on mauka bank of access road Partial shade. Preserved_Specimen Herb, tending to become woody; flowers red. Baker, R.F. 73 Oahu BISH 1975-04-11
8 Ruellia brevifolia Honolulu, 3960 Round Top Drive wet roadside; with Bidens cynapiifolia, Ageratum conyzoides, Dicliptera Preserved_Specimen 0.5-1.0 m erect; flowers red Ray, G. 21 Oahu BISH 1997-08-08
9 Ruellia brevifolia East Maui, Makawao District, Haiku Rd, Pauwela gulch On steep bank, E side of gulch. Associated vegetation: Paspalum conjugatum, Carex wahuense. Preserved_Specimen Erect perennial herb ca. 20cm ht; roots at nodes; flowers red. Starr, F. 201093 Maui BISH 2002-01-09
10 Ruellia brevifolia East Maui, in Kaupo Gap on Nuu Mauka lands, under a Kukui tree by last gate on Kaupo Ranch road. Disturbed cattle pasture. Preserved_Specimen Bright red corolla Welton, P. 2235 Maui BISH 2007-05-22
11 Ruellia brevifolia lower round Top Dr. 2010 Round Top Dr. disturbed lowland dry forest Preserved_Specimen Ray, G. 100 Oahu BISH 1998-03-25
12 Ruellia brevifolia Koloa District, Lawai Valley, National Tropical Botanical Garden; along road to Big Valley Growing in underbrush. Preserved_Specimen Semi-woody shrub 1' in height, inflorescence red, slightly hairy. A cultivated and escaped weed. Cockrell, J. 11 Kauai BISH 1987-12-03
13 Ruellia brevifolia East Maui, Makawao, Brewer Rd, behind Kitada's Kau Kau Korner Associated vegetation: Anredera cordifolia, bamboo. Preserved_Specimen Erect perennial herb rooting at nodes; flowers red. Starr, F. 107281 Maui BISH 2001-07-28
14 Ruellia brevifolia Hanalei District, land of Kilauea, Kilauea Town In yard of abandoned plantation house. Preserved_Specimen Ornamental; flowers bright red. Herbst, D.R. 5676 Kauai BISH 1976-02-25
15 Ruellia brevifolia Below Lyon Arboretum, near start of Manoa Falls Trail Common in lowlands. Preserved_Specimen Corolla bright red-orange. Crosby, M.R. 1393 Oahu BISH 1964-06-15
16 Ruellia brevifolia Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu. Aroid valley, on mauka bank of access road Partial shade. Preserved_Specimen Herb, tending to become woody; flowers red. Baker, R.F. 73 Oahu BISH 1975-04-11
17 Ruellia brevifolia Near Poamoho Stream Rainy forest. Preserved_Specimen Naturalized. Degener, O. 20093 Oahu BISH 1949-07-03
18 Ruellia brevifolia Nuuanu. In woods near Pali lookout parking lot. Forest dominated by Cinnamomum burmanii and Psidium cattleianum. Also growing with Hedychium, Blechnum, and Christella. Preserved_Specimen Small to medium semi woody plants. Flowers red. Leaves ovate. Hundreds of plants seen naturalizing throughout the area. Thomas, M.K. 442 Oahu BISH 2022-09-13
19 Ruellia brevifolia East Maui, Hana District, Kaumahina Preserved_Specimen <1m tall shrubs w. bright scarlet flowers. Oppenheimer, H.L. 60126 Maui BISH 2001-06-11
20 Ruellia brevifolia East Maui, Hana District, Kipahulu Preserved_Specimen Small shrubs with bright scarlet flowers. Oppenheimer, H.L. 60166 Maui BISH 2001-06-11
21 Ruellia brevifolia Halawa Valley, along rd Preserved_Specimen Flowers bright red. Oppenheimer, H.L. 110143 Molokai BISH 2001-11-18
22 Ruellia brevifolia Palolo area, 2357B Palolo Ave Preserved_Specimen Corolla scarlet. Lau, J. 1102 Oahu BISH 1985-06-17
23 Ruellia brevifolia Aiea Loop Trail Preserved_Specimen Flowers bright red. Wagner, W.L. 5086 Oahu BISH 1983-11-13
24 Ruellia brevifolia Lanai City, Queen's St, on mauka side of rd In abandoned scrub area. Growing with Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata, Eugenia uniflora and Tithonia diversifolia Preserved_Specimen Starr, F. 7040303 Lanai BISH 2007-04-03
25 Ruellia brevifolia Honolulu, Mrs. Foster's Preserved_Specimen Duvel, A. 102 Oahu BISH 1925-04-10
26 Ruellia brevifolia Haena State Park Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Kauai BISH 1978-06-15
27 Ruellia brevifolia Kapalama Hts., Kamehameha Girls' School Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. Oahu BISH 1932-06-06
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