Ruellia geminiflora Kunth

  • Authority

    Leonard, Emery C. 1951. The Acanthaceae of Colombia, I. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 31: 1-117.

  • Family

    Acanthaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Ruellia geminiflora Kunth

  • Etymology

    The name geminiflora, twin flower, was given to the species because the flower usually occur in pairs. Nees, on transferring the species to the genus Dipteracanthus, recognized five Greek-letter entities, namely α, procumbens, β, hirsutior, γ, erectus, δ, subacaulis, and ε angustifolius. None of these have been validly published except β and ε.

  • Description

    Description - Herb up to 50 cm. high; stems erect or ascending, pilosulous; leaf blades ovate, oblong, or lanceolate, short-petioled, 1.5 to 5 cm. long, 0.5 to 2 cm. wide, obtuse or acutish at apex, narrowed at base, entire, hirtellous; flowers axillary; calyx 10 mm. long or less, pilosulous, the segments linear-lanceolate; corolla mauve, pubescent, usually 2.5 to 3 cm. long, the lobes suborbicular, 5 to 10 mm. wide capsules clavate, 8 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, puberulous, 4-seeded, the seeds apparently glabrous when dry, mucilaginous-pubescent when moistened.

  • Common Names

    Jasmín, Yuquilla