Ruellia humilis Nuttall. Section: Boreosilva. Low Wild-petunia, Hairy Wild-petunia, Fringeleaf Ruellia. Phen: May-Oct. Hab: Calcareous or mafic glades and woodlands, prairies, dry woodlands and fields. Dist: S. PA west to se. MN and e. NE, south to c. NC, nc. SC (York County; Schmidt & Barnwell 2002), c. AL, s. MS, s. LA, and c. and s. TX.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: This species badly needs taxonomic re-evaluation, looking at variation (some previously recognized -- see synonymy) across its wide and fragmented distribution.

Other Comments: Piedmont plants of NC and SC are uniformly white-flowered.

Synonymy: = Ar, GrPl, K1, K3, K4, Mi, Mo2, NcTx, NY, Ok, Pa, RAB, Tn, Va, W, WV, Long (1970), Wasshausen (1998); > Ruellia humilis Nutt. var. calvescens Fernald – C, F, G, Fernald (1945); > Ruellia humilis Nutt. var. depauperata Tharp & F.A.Barkley – Tx, Turner (1991); > Ruellia humilis Nutt. var. expansa Fernald – F, Tx; > Ruellia humilis Nutt. var. frondosa Fernald – F, G, Tx, Fernald (1945); > Ruellia humilis Nutt. var. humilis – C, F, G, Il, Turner (1991); > Ruellia humilis Nutt. var. longiflora A.Gray – F, Il, Tx, Fernald (1945); > Ruellia humilis Nutt. var. typica – Fernald (1945)

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Wetland Indicator Status:

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

Heliophily: 9