Acanthaceae
Ruellia

Ruellia burttii Vollesen

First published in Fl. Trop. E. Africa, Acanth.(1): 209 (2008)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Acanthaceae (part 2), Kaj Vollesen. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2008

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb with several erect stems to 40 cm tall from woody rootstock; stems glabrous (with a fringe of hairs at nodes) to sparsely puberulous or with a few scattered curly hairs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves with petiole 0–10 mm long; lamina elliptic-obovate or narrowly so, largest 3.5–7 × 1–2.8 cm, apex acute to rounded, base attenuate to cuneate, decurrent on petiole, glabrous or with scattered hairs on midrib (rarely sparsely puberulous)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in 2-flowered axillary cymes (flower away from stem developing first) or solitary towards apex; peduncle 0–2 mm long; pedicels 0–1 mm long, glabrous (rarely puberulous); bracts and bracteoles lanceolate to elliptic, 11–30 × 1–9 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 8–10(–12) mm long, divided to 2–3 mm from base, glabrous with ciliate lobes or glabrous except for a terminal hair on each lobe
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla opening in the evening, fallen by morning, white to pale mauve; tube 37–64 mm long of which the basal cylindric part 20–42 mm and the throat 13–22 mm long; lobes 12–16 × 11–16 mm, broadly ovate with entire to dentate crenate margin
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens included in throat, didynamous, anthers slightly overlapping; filaments fused for 1–2 mm at base, free parts 2–4 and 4–6 mm long; anthers 2.5–4 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Ventral stigma lobe 1–1.5 × ± 0.5 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule clavate, glabrous, 17–22 mm long, (4–)6–14seeded
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed broadly ellipsoid to circular, grey to brown, 4.5–5 × 4–4.5 mm
Ecology
Seasonally waterlogged short grassland on black cotton soil, Acacia drepanolobium grassland on clayey loam; 1100–1300 m
Note
According to Burtt 4596 this species is pollinated by hawkmoths. Closely related to the widespread and variable R. patula. It differs in the larger corolla, larger seeds and different inflorescence.
Type
Type: Tanzania, Dodoma District: Kazikazi, Burtt 4596 (K!, holo.)
Distribution
Flora districts: T1 T2 T5 Range: Not known elsewhere
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0