3. Ruellia strepens L. (wild petunia, smooth ruellia, limestone ruellia)
R. strepens f. alba Steyerm.
R. strepens f. cleistantha (A. Gray) S. McCoy
Pl. 195 l; Map
803
Stems 15–100 cm
long, unbranched or branched, glabrous or more commonly minutely hairy in 2
narrow, longitudinal bands on opposite sides, the hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long,
appearing crinkled. Leaves with petioles 3–20 mm long, the blades of main stem
leaves 2–16 cm long, ovate or broadly lanceolate to elliptic or less commonly
obovate, mostly tapered to a sharp point at the tip, tapered or less commonly
rounded at the base, hairy on both sides and minutely hairy along the margins.
Inflorescences consisting of flower clusters in the axils of main stem leaves
and usually also at and near the tip of axillary branches (inflorescence
stalks) to 8 cm long, the flowers subtended by hairy lanceolate to obovate
bracts (3–)10–40 mm long. Calyx lobes 9–20 mm long, 2–4 mm wide, narrowly
lanceolate, sparsely to less commonly densely hairy on the back (especially
along the midnerve), with a fringe of white hairs 1–2 mm long along the
margins. Corollas 3–7 cm long, 2–4 cm wide. Fruits 10–20 mm long, glabrous. 2n=34.
May–October.
Scattered nearly
throughout the state (northeastern U.S.
west to Nebraska and Texas). Bottomland forests, mesic upland
forests, banks of streams and rivers, margins of ponds and lakes, less commonly
bottomland prairies and fens; also pastures, moist roadsides, and railroads.