5. Ruellia brittoniana E.Leonard in J, Wash. Acad. Sci. 31: 96. 1941. Bailey, Man. Cult. Pl. 918. 1949; Hortus Third, 987.1976; Sharma & Bir, Fl. Patiala 139. 1978.
KAMAL AKHTAR MALIK & ABDUL GHAFOOR
An erect to spreading, perennial, up to 1 m tall, almost glabrous undershrub. Leaves sessile, linear or linear-oblong, 6-30 cm x 5-16 mm, whithish veined above, long attenuate, entire or somewhat undulate, acute. Flowers blue-violet, in lax, terminal, leafy corymbiform panicle; bracts linear, 1-2 cm long, acute; bracteoles absent. Pedicel up to 1.5 cm long. Calyx 5-lobed, lobes linear, 5-6 mm long. Corolla glabrous externally, tube 2-2.5 cm. long, cylindrical below, expanded above, the limb lobes spreading, 1-1.5 cm long, rounded, somewhat crenate. Stamens included, filaments glabrous, anthers oblong, c. 3 mm long. Style filiform, c. 2 cm long, included, stigma slightly bent. Capsule ellipsoid, compressed, 1.8-2 cm long, glabrous, apically pointed, 12-14-seeded. Seeds orbicular, c. 2.5 mm across, brown.
Fl. Per.: April-November.
Type: Described from Mexico.
Distribution: A native of Mexico, grown elsewhere as an ornamental.