Acanthaceae

Ruttya Harv.

First published in London J. Bot. 1: 27 (1842)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Ethiopia to S. Africa, Madagascar, S. Arabian Peninsula.

Descriptions

Flora Zambesiaca Acanthaceae (part 2) by Iain Darbyshire, Kaj Vollesen and Ensermu Kelbessa

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or shrubby herbs; cystoliths conspicuous, linear; stems rounded.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers single, aggregated into short few-flowered to long many-flowered racemoid cymes.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles present, triangular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx deeply divided into 5 equal subulate to narrowly triangular lobes.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla glabrous on outside; basal tube short and wide, widening slightly into a short throat; lobes 5, lower 3 strongly deflexed against tube, upper 2 erect, forming a hood.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2, with 2 minute to long staminodes; filaments attached near base of upper lip and held under it, glabrous, terete to flattened and winged; anthers monothecous, ellipsoid to oblong, straight or curved, with a short spur or mucronate to rounded at base, glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with 2 ovules per locule; style glabrous; stigma of 2 equal, erect, broadly ellipsoid lobes.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 4-seeded, clavate with contracted solid stalk-like basal part, glabrous, seed-bearing part ellipsoid, laterally flattened; retinacula strong, hooked.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds discoid, smooth on both sides, with a broad longitudinal ridge on outer side.
Distribution
A genus of six species, one in N Ethiopia and Eritrea, one widespread in NE Africa and extending to Arabia, one in southern Africa and three on Madagascar.
[FZ]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Woody-based herbs or shrubs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Flowers in dense cymes; bracts and bracteoles small, linear
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx deeply 5-lobed; lobes narrow
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 2-lipped; tube narrowly campanulate; upper lip shallowly notched to deeply 2-lobed; lower lip 3-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2, exserted, with 2 staminodes; anthers 1-celled
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 2-celled, with 2 ovules in each cell, glabrous; style filiform, exserted; stigma shortly 2-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule club-shaped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds smooth and glabrous.
Distribution
Genus of six species in tropical and southern Africa, Arabian Peninsula and Madagascar.
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. 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 2025. 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