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Ruellia prostrata

Poir. (1804)

This name is accepted

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

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Prostrate perennial herbs.

Stems:

Roots: Rooting at the nodes.

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite and decussate (pairs of leaves alternating 90 degrees between nodes). Blades ovate, 2–10 cm long, (0.9)–1.5–4.5 cm wide. Surfaces sparsely strigose, especially on upper surface. Margins entire. Petioles 5–30 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers solitary in the leaf axils. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Each subtended by oblanceolate to ovate bracts 15–23 mm long. Calyx lobes 5, linear, 6–10 mm long. Corolla 5-lobed, large and showy, violet blue to occasionally nearly white, 2.4–3.2 cm long, the lobes slightly spreading. 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; 1.5–2 cm long; densely 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; 44

Habitat: A weed of urban areas.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Maui Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Notes

  • Description digitized by Pumehana Imada
  • Native to Java. This species previously was misidentified in Hawai‘i as Ruellia repens L., which differs from R. prostrata in its narrowly lanceolate to linear-lanceolate leaves and capsules only 1.2-1.5 cm. long.

Bibliography

Name Published In: J.B.A.M.de Lamarck, Encycl. 6: 349 (1804)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:174 (O); Oppenheimer 2003:4 (Mo, WM)

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 prostrata Brigham Young University-Hawaii campus Preserved_Specimen Smooth shrub 3-6' or higher. Mackelprang, J. 786 Oahu BISH 1977-04-01
2 Ruellia prostrata Honolulu; foot of Alewa Ht Preserved_Specimen Flws to 1 long, violet tinted. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1946-03-31
3 Ruellia prostrata Makapuu, along the road to the lighthouse Preserved_Specimen White (?) flowered herb. Whistler, W.A. Oahu BISH 1984-01-01
4 Ruellia prostrata Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Grounds, Service Courtyard between Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kāhili Room and Pacific Hall. In a small shady courtyard, enclosed on all 4 sides by buildings and walls. Area filled with air-handling equipment and not easily accessible. Preserved_Specimen Small herbaceous plant. Flowers dehiscent, corolla falling off the plants during collection, Light Lilac (Color 221, G. Köhler 2012). Leaves Shamrock Green (C 108) adaxially and Pale Emerald Green (C141) abaxially. Walvoord, N. 2023003 Oahu BISH 2023-01-05
5 Ruellia prostrata W Maui, Lahaina District, Lahaina Growing at edge of paved driveway. Preserved_Specimen Flowers lavender, solitary, axillary. Oppenheimer, H.L. 120107 Maui BISH 2001-12-31
6 Ruellia prostrata W Maui, Lahaina District, Lahaina, at Campbell Park In lawn w. Calyptocarpus, Chamaesyce, Erigeron, Eragrostis. Preserved_Specimen Weed. Flowers pale violet. Oppenheimer, H.L. 50110 Maui BISH 2001-05-13
7 Ruellia prostrata Keaau, Waianae District; just E of Farrington Hwy Growing in deep shade of Leucaena leucocephala. Preserved_Specimen Straggling upright shrub to 45 cm ht.; corolla pale blue to whitish, 19 mm. long. Nagata, K.M. 2039 Oahu BISH 1980-02-17
8 Ruellia prostrata Hamakua Marsh, Kailua, mauka (mountainside) of Hamakua Drive Low groundcover upland from marsh under scattered Prosopis, Citharexylum spinosum, Schinus. Preserved_Specimen Imada, C. 922 Oahu BISH 1992-04-04
9 Ruellia prostrata Manoa Valley, Honolulu; between curb and sidewalk along Dole St. between Kanewai Park and bridge Growing in lawn area. Preserved_Specimen Flowers blue, corolla to 3 cm. Nagata, K.M. 1220 Oahu BISH 1974-03-04
10 Ruellia prostrata Honolulu, 42 Coelho Way Persistent creeping weed. Preserved_Specimen Leaves dull green, hairy; flws slightly blue tinted, 4 stamens in pairs joined at base only, style bent at tip; fruit capsule 14-seeded. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1944-12-17
11 Ruellia prostrata East Maui, Makawao District, Olinda Volunteering in yard. Associated vegetation: Eucalyptus spp., Pennisetum clandestinum. Preserved_Specimen Prostrate to slightly erect herb, <1m tall, rooting at nodes. Flowers purple, lavender w. white near tube, no scent noted, orientation at tips of branches. Foliage dark green above , light green below, no scent or sap noted, margins entire, pubescence: furry leaves and stems. Starr, F. 110121 Maui BISH 2001-10-12
12 Ruellia prostrata Honolulu: Manoa Valley; Lyon Arboretum. In holding area of greenhouse Volunteer. Preserved_Specimen Small prostrate shrub, hispid, swollen at nodes; leaves hispid, dark green; corolla sky blue to very pale blue (possibly with age); seeds flat. Nagata, K.M. 831 Oahu BISH 1971-05-07
13 Ruellia prostrata Waialua Roadside w. Asystasia, Thespesia, Terminalia and Paspalum fimbriatum. Preserved_Specimen Weed; flowers violet. Oppenheimer, H.L. 110137 Molokai BISH 2001-11-18
14 Ruellia prostrata Honolulu, Foster Botanic Garden Growing in a well watered, frequently mowed grass lawn in partial shade. Preserved_Specimen Weeds; flowers orchid in color; odorless (morning). Lau, J. 1291 Oahu BISH 1985-08-05
15 Ruellia prostrata W Maui, Lahaina District Growing in neglected lawn area with Calyptocarpus, Ipomoea, Leucaena, Chamaesyce, Chloris, Eragrostis. Preserved_Specimen Flowers purple, but flower buds cream colored. Oppenheimer, H.L. 70209 Maui BISH 2002-07-28
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