The readily lovable Ruellia kaokoana inhabits the driest of dry, slaty hillsides, mostly of northwestern Namibia (hence the epithet we honored the new species with). It’s sprawling / prostrate growth form is distinctive among the species it is related to (R. acetabula, R. aspera, R. diversifolia, R. marlothii…). This group is united by the presence of a unique “2+2+1” zygomorphic calyx configuration, with a prominent collecting vein on the widest calyx lobe, extremely dense / bracteate inflorescences, and production of a citronella-like vegetative odor. See Tripp & Dexter 2012, Syst. Bot.

I can’t believe how dry the habitat is in which this species thrives. Phenomenal. Some years, not a single drop of rain…

Wild collected, Namibia, Tripp & Dexter et al. #2019 (RSA-POM); Photo by Erin Tripp

I know that I’ve said all the other species in this genus are highly distinctive, but if any stands worthy of the uber designation, it is Ruellia jussieuoides.

First: Ruellia jussieuoides loves high quality, wet rainforest habitats. Second: as visible even from the photo, the secondary venation is raised above the plane of the leaf. Third: floral tubes of R. jussieuoides are extremely long and thin, and the orifice / opening is equally as narrow – all indicative of adaptation to butterfly pollination.

I first saw this species at a rather magical swimming hole in Chiapas (Cascadas de Agua Azul) with Kyle, on the first of many wonderful international trips we’ve taken together. In retrospect, I’m still not sure whether the plant or the neon blue swimming hole was more enchanting. But at any rate, it is also among the first few Neotropical Ruellia that I saw in the field.

Turns out this species is almost certainly synonymous with Ruellia puri from South America. A sweet little geographic disjunction going…read about it in Tripp & McDade 2012 (Brittonia). Ruellia jussieuoides has a neat geographic disjunction between Central America and central / western South America… bypassing northern South America. See paper cited above for more info.

Big thanks to our colleague Alexander for sharing photos of this plant with us. Helped to convince me that the two names were indeed representative of the same biological species.

Wild collected, Mexico, Tripp & Dexter #156 (DUKE); Photo 1 by Erin Tripp

Not vouchered, Bolivia; Photo 2 by Alexander Schmidt-Lebuhn

Meet Ruellia jaliscana….as the name implies, native to (and also endemic to) Jalisco, Mexico. This is a striking plant that is sub-woody and can grow several meters in height, just like its close relatives in section Chiropterophila. In the flowering season, all parts of the plant are extremely pungent. In the vegetative season, this odor is not apparent. Inflorescences of this species are highly dissected, fimbriate, and I would add, stunning!

Kate and I sat and watched this species for many hours for multiple days, with and without sunlight. The flowers open (and anthers dehisce) between 5-7 pm, and for the most part fall in mid morning. We observed abundant hummingbird pollination during crepuscular hours but no bat visitors despite nocturnal observations and infrared videotaping. We did, however, hear some sweet sounds bouncing around the noctural Mexican forest while enjoying some tasty resveratrol….

Ruellia jaliscana was beautifully illustrated by Amanda Labadie of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia (the original now hangs in Kate’s living room), along with the other 10 species in Ruellia section Chiropterophila. See Tripp 2010 (Systematic Botany) for examples of her fine work. Kate’s hand is equally impressive….

Wild collected, Mexico, Tripp & Deregibus #199 (DUKE); Photo by Erin Tripp

Very cool plant in a very cool clade that has some evolutionary secrets to unlock… This species is so very clearly related to R. paniculata and R. galeottii, among others in the clade (see Tripp 2007 and Tripp & Manos 2008). Like R. paniculata, it is extremely widespread, occurring from Mexico through Central American and continuing south. Ruellia galeottii, on the other hand, is a restricted endemic to hot, semi-deciduous forests of southern Mexico.

The floral colors (plus their shapes) are what intrigue me. Ruellia inundata is a dark pink – mauve of sorts whereas R. paniculata and R. galeottii are purple. There is a long story to discover here….

Best population ever seen of this species: atop some little known, little visited, little appreciated, but most remarkable EVER Mayan ruins in Campeche: Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Check it out… you and the toucans.

Wild collected, Costa Rica, Tripp & Deinert #121 (DUKE); Photo by Erin Tripp

Here is a special species from the Cabinets of Curiosities of Socotra… home to so many peculiar plants, many of them endemic, many of them Acanths. I have no idea how this plant made it into cultivation, but one sees it flitting about various living collections across the world (especially those of the cool kids). It flitted its way into…. then out of… mine. If you are growing it, please get in touch – I’d love to be re-acquainted.

In addition to all of the other reasons you might just come to LOVE this species (e.g., those enchanting flowers, succulent leaves, or its furtive distribution), this plant has THE COOLEST CYSTOLITHS (check it – ‘rock sacs’) of ANY ACANTHACEAE. It’s true. They are dimorphic! Ruellia insignis produces the cigar shaped cystoliths typical of most other Acanths but in addition, it produces others shaped like a medieval mace! Notice how you can see them just under the upper leaf epidermis. This is heavy stuff…

This belongs to an early diverging grade that is paraphyletic with respect to Neotropical Ruellia. We have a lot of work to do in reconstructing this region of the phylogenetic ‘hood. Most immediately: we’d like to know how closely related this species is to other Ruellia endemic to Socotra, such as Ruellia carnea (which, consider yourself among the chosen few if you have ever seen this plant in the wild… I haven’t, and may never….).

(Formerly) cultivated, RSABG Greenhouses, originally from Socotra (Yemen), Not Vouchered; Photos by Erin Tripp

Ruellia inflata is a distinctive species from central/western South America by its vining habit, its disproportionately large red flowers with long-exserted reproductive parts, and in some individuals, its ant domatia (see photo). That’s right – ant homes are not just for Acacia and Tibouchina. Acanths make them, too!

Not vouchered, Bolivia; Photo 1 by Alexander Schmidt-Lebuhn

Voucher unknown, Bolivia; Photo 2 by Erin Tripp

Ruellia hygrophila – in the field! in the cellulose!

ANOTHER huge thanks to John Wood for contributing the first image to the website. I have long propagated it in the greenhouse, but have never encountered any images of plants in their native environments…until now! This species is sister to Ruellia morongii, both basal rosette forming species, and together both call the “Euruellia Clade” home (see Tripp 2007, Systematic Botany). This, by the way, is a very cool clade that includes some southern South American members as well as primarily North American members. Sort of a sweet disjunction.

The second photo depicts R. hygrophila in the greenhouses. It has remarkably scabrous / sandpapery leaves. If you up-pot it you’ll note its deep and tuberous roots. The species is adapted to the fire-prone cerrado landscapes of Brazil. I’m quite fond of it. Eccentric and unique.

Wild collected, Bolivia, Darwin Initiative Project 16-004

Not vouchered, Cultivated (DUKE and RSABG Greenhouses)

Update (Sep 2016): chance encounter with this species as only saw it once during our 100 km tour through Bolivia and then 49 km down a dirt road that was not supposed to exist! This population was located in southeastern Bolivia (other records of it extend from southwestern Brazil, Paraguay, N.E. Argentina and N.W. Uruguay).

This species grew right at roadside in secondary forest. Very different growth form from other Ruellia as it forms basal rosettes with leaves prostrate against the ground, and is on the small size (appox..9 cm tall).

Wild collected, Bolivia, Tripp et al. #6019 (COLO); Photos by Manuel Luján; Blog post by Dina Clark

Homegrown. Limestone glade loving plant. You can’t blame her.

This is how it all got started…read the story under Ruellia strepens.

Wild collected, USA [Pennsylvania], Tripp #14 (PH); Photo by Erin Tripp

A remarkable species from northern South America, closely related to R. tubiflora. It grows as a vining shrub for several meters in height. Note the photos showing extrafloral nectaries and corolla tubes full of nectar. I was delighted to find and collect this species in a virgin neotropical rainforest with my friend and colleague Manuel.

A message from the hummingbirds: we LOVE you.

Wild collected, Venezuela, Tripp & Luján #495 (RSA-POM); Photos by Erin Tripp

I can’t believe this photo turned out as well as it did. Carrie must have taken it? I was busy having one of the worst fevers of my life. Thought I was going to die. Opened the car door, threw up, uncontrollably, on a roadside catholic shrine (NOT intentional), and spotted this Ruellia while crawling (literally crawling) back into the car. Made Carrie find us a hotel that was right across the street from an emergency room, just in case.

Two days of my life I never care to remember. Only the vaguest of recollections that she pointed out a new Ruellia to me.

Wild collected, Mexico, Tripp et al. #5750; Photos by Manuel Luján