# Ruellia

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{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}
{{Automatic taxobox
|image = Wayside Tuberose -Ruella tuberosa- flower in Hyderabad, AP W IMG 6628.jpg
|image_caption = ''[Ruellia tuberosa](/source/Ruellia_tuberosa)''
|display_parents = 2
|taxon = Ruellia
|authority = [L.](/source/Carl_Linnaeus)<ref name="GRIN">{{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?10578 |title=Genus: ''Ruellia'' L. |work=Germplasm Resources Information Network |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |date=2009-01-23 |access-date=2010-05-26}}</ref>
|subdivision_ranks = Species
|subdivision = Many, see text
| synonyms = {{collapsible list |
*''Alvarezia'' <small>Pav. ex Nees</small>	
*''Aphragmia'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Aporuellia'' <small>C.B.Clarke</small>	
*''Arrhostoxylum'' <small>Mart. ex Nees</small>	
*''Benoicanthus'' <small>Heine A.Raynal</small>
*''Blechum'' <small>P.Browne</small>	
*''Copioglossa'' <small>Miers</small>	
*''Cryphiacanthus'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Cyrtacanthus'' <small>Mart. ex Nees</small>	
*''Dipteracanthus'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Dizygandra'' <small>Meisn.</small>	
*''Endosiphon'' <small>T.Anderson ex Benth. Hook.f.</small>
*''Eurychanes'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Eusiphon'' <small>Benoist</small>	
*''Fabria'' <small>E.Mey.</small>	
*''Gymnacanthus'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Gymnacanthus'' <small>Oerst.</small>	
*''Holtzendorffia'' <small>Klotzsch H.Karst. ex Nees</small>
*''Larysacanthus'' <small>Oerst.</small>	
*''Lychniothyrsus'' <small>Lindau</small>	
*''Micraea'' <small>Miers</small>	
*''Neowedia'' <small>Schrad.</small>	
*''Nothoruellia'' <small>Bremek. Nann.-Bremek.</small>
*''Ophthalmacanthus'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Pattersonia'' <small>J.F.Gmel.</small>	
*''Pentstemonacanthus'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Pseudoruellia'' <small>Benoist</small>	
*''Salpingacanthus'' <small>S.Moore</small>	
*''Sclerocalyx'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Scorodoxylum'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Siphonacanthus'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Solaenacanthus'' <small>Oerst.</small>	
*''Spirostigma'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Stemonacanthus'' <small>Nees</small>	
*''Stenoschista'' <small>Bremek.</small>	
*''Stephanophysum'' <small>Pohl</small>	
*''Tacoanthus'' <small>Baill.</small>	
*''Tremacanthus'' <small>S.Moore</small>
*''Ulleria'' {{small|Bremek.}}
 }}
|synonyms_ref =<ref name = powo>{{cite POWO |id=326011-2 |title=''Ruellia'' Plum. ex L. |access-date=9 March 2024}}</ref>
}}

'''''Ruellia''''' is a [genus](/source/genus) of [flowering plant](/source/flowering_plant)s commonly known as '''ruellias''' or '''wild petunias'''.<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS |id=34371 |taxon=''Ruellia'' |access-date=2011-05-20}}</ref> They are not closely related to [petunia](/source/petunia)s (''Petunia'') although both genera belong to the same [euasterid](/source/euasterids_I) [clade](/source/clade). The genus was named in honor of [Jean Ruelle](/source/Jean_Ruelle) (1474–1537), [herbalist](/source/herbalist) and [physician](/source/physician) to [Francis I of France](/source/Francis_I_of_France) and translator of several works of [Dioscorides](/source/Pedanius_Dioscorides).<ref>{{cite book | last=Burkhardt | first=Lotte | title=Verzeichnis eponymischer Pflanzennamen – Erweiterte Edition |trans-title=Index of Eponymic Plant Names – Extended Edition | publisher=Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum, Freie Universität Berlin | year=2018 | isbn=978-3-946292-26-5 | url=https://doi.org/10.3372/epolist2018 |format=pdf |language=German |location=Berlin | doi=10.3372/epolist2018 |access-date=1 January 2021}}</ref>

Numerous formerly independent genera are nowadays considered [synonymous](/source/synonym_(taxonomy)) with ''Ruellia'', including ''Blechum'', ''Eusiphon'',  and ''Ulleria''.<ref name = powo/> ''[Acanthopale](/source/Acanthopale)'' and ''[Polylychnis](/source/Polylychnis)'' are considered a distinct genera.

Ruellias are popular [ornamental plant](/source/ornamental_plant)s. Some are used as [medicinal plant](/source/Herbalism)s, but many are known or suspected to be poisonous. Their leaves are food for the [caterpillar](/source/caterpillar)s of several [Lepidoptera](/source/Lepidoptera) (butterflies and moths), typically [Nymphalinae](/source/Nymphalinae) and in particular members of their [tribe](/source/tribe_(biology)) [Junoniini](/source/Junoniini), such as the larvae of the banded peacock (''[Anartia fatima](/source/Anartia_fatima)''). Nymphalinae using ''Ruellia'' as host plants include the [common buckeye](/source/common_buckeye) (''Junonia coenia''), recorded on ''[R. nodiflora](/source/Ruellia_nodiflora)'', the [lemon pansy](/source/lemon_pansy) (''Junonia lemonias''), recorded on ''[R. tuberosa](/source/Ruellia_tuberosa)'', and the [malachite butterfly](/source/malachite_butterfly) (''Siproeta stelenes'') and [Australian lurcher](/source/Australian_lurcher) (''Yoma sabina''), which are recorded on several species.
[[File:Ruellia elegans in Kadavoor.jpg|thumb|right|''[Ruellia elegans](/source/Ruellia_elegans)'']]
[[File:Ruellia prostrata in Talakona forest, AP W IMG 8317.jpg|thumb|[Bell weed](/source/ruellia_prostrata) (''Ruellia prostrata'')]]
[[File:Gardenology.org-IMG 3026 rbgs11jan.jpg|thumb|''[Ruellia dipteracanthus](/source/Ruellia_dipteracanthus)'']]

==Selected species==
365 species are accepted.<ref name = powo/> They include:
{{div col}}
* ''[Ruellia acutangula](/source/Ruellia_acutangula)'' {{small|Nees}}
* ''[Ruellia affinis](/source/Ruellia_affinis)'' <small>(Schrad.) T.Anderson</small>
* ''[Ruellia angustior](/source/Ruellia_angustior)'' {{small|(Nees) Lindau}}
* ''[Ruellia asperula](/source/Ruellia_asperula)'' {{small|(Mart. & Nees) Lindau}}
* ''[Ruellia bahiensis](/source/Ruellia_bahiensis)'' {{small|(Nees) Morong}}
* ''[Ruellia blechum](/source/Ruellia_blechum)'' <small>L.</small>
* ''[Ruellia blumei](/source/Ruellia_blumei)'' <small>Steud.</small>
* ''[Ruellia bourgaei](/source/Ruellia_bourgaei)'' <small>Hemsl.</small>
* ''[Ruellia brevifolia](/source/Ruellia_brevifolia)'' <small>(Pohl) C.Ezcurra</small> &ndash; tropical wild petunia, red Christmas pride
* ''[Ruellia californica](/source/Ruellia_californica)'' {{small|(Vasey & Rose) I.M.Johnst.}}
* ''[Ruellia caroliniensis](/source/Ruellia_caroliniensis)'' <small>(J.F.Gmel.) Steud.</small>
* ''[Ruellia chartacea](/source/Ruellia_chartacea)'' <small>(T.Anderson) Wassh.</small><!-- OrnitolColomb3:7. --> 
* ''[Ruellia ciliatiflora](/source/Ruellia_ciliatiflora)'' <small>Hook.</small>
* ''[Ruellia currorii](/source/Ruellia_currorii)'' {{small|T.Anderson}}
* ''[Ruellia densa](/source/Ruellia_densa)'' {{small|Hiern}}
* ''[Ruellia devosiana](/source/Ruellia_devosiana)'' <small>Jacob-Makoy ex E.Morren</small>
* ''[Ruellia dielsii](/source/Ruellia_dielsii)'' {{small|Mildbr.}}
* ''[Ruellia dioscoridis](/source/Ruellia_dioscoridis)'' {{small|Napper}}
* ''[Ruellia dissitifolia](/source/Ruellia_dissitifolia)'' {{small|(Nees) Hiern}}
* ''[Ruellia drummondiana](/source/Ruellia_drummondiana)'' <small>(Nees) A.Gray</small>
* ''[Ruellia elegans](/source/Ruellia_elegans)'' <small>Poir.</small>
* ''[Ruellia eurycodon](/source/Ruellia_eurycodon)'' {{small|Lindau}}
* ''[Ruellia fulgida](/source/Ruellia_fulgida)'' <small>Andrews</small>
* ''[Ruellia geminiflora](/source/Ruellia_geminiflora)'' {{small|Kunth}} &ndash; ''ipecacuanha-da-flor-roxa'' ([Portuguese](/source/Portuguese_(language)))
* ''[Ruellia hapalotricha](/source/Ruellia_hapalotricha)'' {{small|Lindau}}
* ''[Ruellia helianthema](/source/Ruellia_helianthema)'' {{small|(Nees) Profice}}
* ''[Ruellia humilis](/source/Ruellia_humilis)'' <small>Nutt.</small> &ndash; fringeleaf wild petunia, plains petunia, fringeleaf ruellia, hairy ruellia, low ruellia, zigzag ruel
* ''[Ruellia hypericoides](/source/Ruellia_hypericoides)'' {{small|(Nees) Lindau}}
* ''[Ruellia incomta](/source/Ruellia_incomta)'' {{small|(Nees) Lindau}}
* ''[Ruellia inundata](/source/Ruellia_inundata)'' {{small|Kunth}}
* ''[Ruellia insignis](/source/Ruellia_insignis)'' {{small|Balf.f.}}
* ''[Ruellia jaliscana](/source/Ruellia_jaliscana)'' <small>Standl.</small>
* ''[Ruellia jussieuoides](/source/Ruellia_jussieuoides)'' {{small|Schltdl. & Cham.}}
* ''[Ruellia kuriensis](/source/Ruellia_kuriensis)'' {{small|Vierh.}}
* ''[Ruellia macrantha](/source/Ruellia_macrantha)'' <small>(Nees) Gower</small> &ndash; Christmas pride
* ''[Ruellia macrophylla](/source/Ruellia_macrophylla)'' <small>Vahl</small>
* ''[Ruellia makoyana](/source/Ruellia_makoyana)'' <small>Hort.Makoy ex Closon</small>
* ''[Ruellia mcvaughii](/source/Ruellia_mcvaughii)'' <small>T.F.Daniel</small>
* ''[Ruellia menthoides](/source/Ruellia_menthoides)'' {{small|(Nees) Hiern}}
*''[Ruellia metziae](/source/Ruellia_metziae)'' {{small|Tharp}}
* ''[Ruellia multifolia](/source/Ruellia_multifolia)'' {{small|(Nees) Lindau}}
* ''[Ruellia nitens](/source/Ruellia_nitens)'' {{small|(Nees) Wassh.}}
* ''[Ruellia noctiflora](/source/Ruellia_noctiflora)'' {{small|(Nees) A.Gray}}
* ''[Ruellia novogaliciana](/source/Ruellia_novogaliciana)'' <small>T.F. Daniel</small>
* ''[Ruellia nudiflora](/source/Ruellia_nudiflora)'' <small>(Engelm. & A.Gray) Urb.</small>
* ''[Ruellia patula](/source/Ruellia_patula)'' {{small|Jacq.}}
* ''[Ruellia paulayana](/source/Ruellia_paulayana)'' {{small|Vierh.}}
* ''[Ruellia pedunculata](/source/Ruellia_pedunculata)'' {{small|Torr. ex A.Gray}}
* ''[Ruellia prostrata](/source/Ruellia_prostrata)'' <small>Poir.</small>
* ''[Ruellia rasa](/source/Ruellia_rasa)'' {{small|Hiern}}
* ''[Ruellia rosea](/source/Ruellia_rosea)'' <small>(Nees) Hemsl.</small>
* ''[Ruellia rufipila](/source/Ruellia_rufipila)'' {{small|Rizzini}}
* ''[Ruellia simplex](/source/Ruellia_simplex)'' <small>C.Wright</small>
* ''[Ruellia spissa](/source/Ruellia_spissa)'' <small>Leonard</small>
* ''[Ruellia stemonacanthoides](/source/Ruellia_stemonacanthoides)'' <small>(Oerst.) Hemsl.</small>
* ''[Ruellia strepens](/source/Ruellia_strepens)'' <small>L.</small>
* ''[Ruellia trachyphylla](/source/Ruellia_trachyphylla)'' {{small|Lindau}}
* ''[Ruellia tuberosa](/source/Ruellia_tuberosa)'' <small>L.</small> &ndash; minnie root, fever root, snapdragon root, sheep potato, popping pod, duppy gun, cracker plant (syn. ''R. picta''<!-- Lodd. et al. -->)
* ''[Ruellia verbasciformis](/source/Ruellia_verbasciformis)'' {{small|(Nees) C.Ezcurra & Zappi}}
* ''[Ruellia villosa](/source/Ruellia_villosa)'' {{small|(Nees) Lindau}}
{{div col end}}

===Uncertain status===
* ''[Ruellia brevicaulis](/source/Ruellia_brevicaulis)'' {{small|(Nees) Lindau}} (synonym ''Dipteracanthus brevicaulis'' {{small|Nees}}) – [Unplaced](/source/Unplaced)
* ''[Ruellia eriocalyx](/source/Ruellia_eriocalyx)'' {{small|Glaz.}}
* ''[Ruellia flava](/source/Ruellia_flava_(Pers.))'' {{small|Pers.}} – Unplaced
* ''[Ruellia pohlii](/source/Ruellia_pohlii)'' (synonym ''Dipteracanthus pohlii'' {{small|Nees}}) – Unplaced
* ''[Ruellia stenandrium](/source/Ruellia_stenandrium)''

===Formerly placed here===
Numerous plants, mainly in the family [Acanthaceae](/source/Acanthaceae), are former members of ''Ruellia''. Some examples are:
*[''Asystasia gangetica'' subsp. ''micrantha''](/source/Asystasia_gangetica) <small>(Nees) Ensermu</small> (as ''R. intrusa'' <small>Forssk.</small>)
*[''Asystasia gangetica'' subsp. ''gangetica''](/source/Asystasia_gangetica) (as ''R. zeylanica'' <small>J.Koenig ex Roxb.</small>)
*''[Blepharis ciliaris](/source/Blepharis_ciliaris)'' <small>(L.) B.L.Burtt</small> (as ''R. ciliaris'' <small>L.</small> or ''R. persica'' <small>Burm.f.</small>)
*''[Dyschoriste oblongifolia](/source/Dyschoriste_oblongifolia)'' <small>(Michx.) Kuntze</small> (as ''R. oblongifolia'' <small>Michx.</small>)
*''[Hemigraphis repanda](/source/Hemigraphis_repanda)'' <small>(L.) Hallier f.</small> (as ''R. repanda'' <small>L.</small>)
*''[Hygrophila costata](/source/Hygrophila_costata)'' <small>Nees et al.</small> (as ''R. brasiliensis'' <small>Spreng.</small>)
*''[Hygrophila difformis](/source/Hygrophila_difformis)'' <small>(L.f.) Blume</small> (as ''R. difformis'' <small>L. f.</small>)
*''[Hygrophila lacustris](/source/Hygrophila_lacustris)'' <small>(Schltdl. & Cham.) Nees</small> (as ''R. lacustris'' <small>Schltdl. & Cham.</small>)
*''[Hygrophila ringens](/source/Hygrophila_ringens)'' <small>(L.) R. Br. ex Steud.</small> (as ''R. ringens'' <small>L.</small> or ''R. salicifolia'' <small>Vahl</small>)
*''[Lepidagathis alopecuroidea](/source/Lepidagathis_alopecuroidea)'' <small>(Vahl) R. Br. ex Griseb.</small> (as ''R. alopecuroidea'' <small>Vahl</small>)
*''[Lindernia antipoda](/source/Lindernia_antipoda)'' <small>(L.) Alston</small> (as ''R. antipoda'' <small>L.</small>)
*''[Mackaya neesiana](/source/Mackaya_neesiana)'' {{small|(Wall.) Das}} (as ''R. neesiana'' {{small|Wall.}})
*''[Stenandrium dulce](/source/Stenandrium_dulce)'' <small>(Cav.) Nees</small> (as ''R. dulcis'' <small>Cav.</small>)
*''[Strobilanthes anisophylla](/source/Strobilanthes_anisophylla)'' <small>(Lodd. et al.) T. Anderson</small> (as ''R. anisophylla'' <small>Lodd. et al.</small>)
*''[Strobilanthes hamiltoniana](/source/Strobilanthes_hamiltoniana)'' <small>(Steud.) Bosser & Heine</small> (as ''R. hamiltoniana'' <small>Steud.</small>)<ref name="GRINSpecies">{{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?10578 |title=GRIN Species Records of ''Ruellia'' |work=Germplasm Resources Information Network |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |access-date=2011-05-20}}</ref>
*''[Strobilanthes tomentosa](/source/Strobilanthes_tomentosa)'' {{small|(Nees) J.R.I.Wood}} (as ''R. tomentosa'' {{small|Wall.}})
*''[Teliostachya alopecuroidea](/source/Teliostachya_alopecuroidea)'' <small>Nees</small> (as ''R. alopecuroidea'', ''R. alopecuroides'')

==See also==
* [21540 Itthipanyanan](/source/21540_Itthipanyanan), an asteroid named after a student who authored an award-winning experiment<ref name=JPL_Itthi>{{cite web|title=21540 Itthipanyanan (1998 QE11)|url=http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=21540|work=JPL Small-Body Database|publisher=Jet Propulsion Laboratory|access-date=6 April 2013}}</ref> on the [dehiscence](/source/Dehiscence_(botany)) and dispersion of ''Ruellia tuberosa'' seed pods.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Wikispecies|Ruellia (Acanthaceae)|''Ruellia''}}
{{Americana Poster|year=1920}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110605040027/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?24176 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Copioglossa'']
*[http://www.plantsystematics.org/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Ruellia&rank=genus PlantSystematics: ''Ruellia'']
*[http://tolweb.org/Ruellia_s._l./65583: Tree of Life: ''Ruellia''.]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1280862}}

Category:Ruellia
Category:Acanthaceae genera
Category:Pantropical flora

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ruellia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruellia) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruellia?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.