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Acanthaceae
Ruellia

not marked as a favorite taxon Ruellia strepens Linnaeus. Common name: Limestone Wild-petunia, Limestone Ruellia. Phenology: May-Oct. Habitat: Calcareous forests, woodlands, and fields. Distribution: NJ west to OH and IA, south to se., sc., and ne. NC, e. SC, AL, and TX.

Glossary (beta!)

Section: Boreosilva.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mi, Mo2, NcTx, NS, Ok, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WV, Long (1970), Turner (1991), Wasshausen (1998); > Ruellia strepens L. var. cleistantha A.Gray — Tx; > Ruellia strepens L. var. strepens — Tx. Basionym: Ruellia strepens L. 1753

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
  • Great Plains: FAC
  • Midwest: FAC
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FAC

Heliophily ⓘ: 5

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image #1 of Ruellia strepens© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Ruellia strepens© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Ruellia strepens© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Ruellia strepens© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Ruellia strepens© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Ruellia strepens© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #8 of Ruellia strepens© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image #9 of Ruellia strepens© Joey Shaw source

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial found in floodplain forests, alluvial swamps, and river banks in the Mountains and Piedmont, as well as calcareous forests and seepage swamps in the Coastal Plain.

Stems: Stems slightly 4-angled, occasionally branched, smooth though sometimes minutely hairy.

Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, oval, 4 in. long, thin-textured.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers 1-several in middle and upper leaf axils; nearly sessile; pale blue-violet; about 2 in. long; tubular and trumpet-shaped, with 5 broad, spreading corolla lobes that are prominently creased and 5 shorter, slightly hairy, lance-shaped calyx lobes. Each flower/cluster is subtended by 2 oval leafy bracts.

Fruits: Fruit a narrow, somewhat flattened, oval capsule.

Comments:

Height: 1-3 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial found in floodplain forests, alluvial swamps, and river banks in the Mountains and Piedmont, as well as calcareous forests and seepage swamps in the Coastal Plain.

stems: Stems slightly 4-angled, occasionally branched, smooth though sometimes minutely hairy.

leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, oval, 4 in. long, thin-textured.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers 1-several in middle and upper leaf axils; nearly sessile; pale blue-violet; about 2 in. long; tubular and trumpet-shaped, with 5 broad, spreading corolla lobes that are prominently creased and 5 shorter, slightly hairy, lance-shaped calyx lobes. Each flower/cluster is subtended by 2 oval leafy bracts.

fruits: Fruit a narrow, somewhat flattened, oval capsule.

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cultural notes:

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