Ruellia simplex

Ruellia simplex, the Mexican petunia, Mexican bluebell or Britton's wild petunia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is a native of Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. It has become a widespread invasive plant in Florida, where it was likely introduced as an ornamental before 1933,[1][2] as well as in the eastern Mediterranean, South Asia and other parts of the eastern hemisphere.

Ruellia simplex
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Acanthaceae
Genus: Ruellia
Species:
R. simplex
Binomial name
Ruellia simplex
Synonyms

See text

Taxonomy and synonyms

Ruellia simplex C.Wright is the oldest and accepted name for this species, which has been variously called Ruellia angustifolia (Nees) Lindau, Ruellia brittoniana Leonard, and Cryphiacanthus angustifolius Nees, among several synonyms.[3] The genus is named after French botanist Jean Ruel, while the specific name refers to the simple, not compound leaves.[4]

Description

Ruellia simplex is an evergreen perennial growing 3 ft (0.91 m) tall, forming colonies of stalks with lance-shaped leaves that are 6 to 12 in (15 to 30 cm) and .5 to .75 in (1.3 to 1.9 cm) wide. Trumpet shaped flowers are metallic blue to purple, with five petals, and 3 in (7.6 cm) wide. There is a dwarf variety that is only 1 ft (0.30 m) tall.[1]

Distribution

Ruellia simplex is native to Mexico, the West Indies, western Bolivia, southwestern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northeastern Argentina. It has been widely used as an ornamental plant and has escaped from cultivation in the United States, Australia and parts of Asia, as well as several Pacific Islands. It has become invasive in some of these areas, forming dense, single-species stands of vegetation which threaten native plants. It is mainly a plant of wet places such as ditches, pond verges, lakesides and marshes, but can survive in drier conditions.[5]

Control

The University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is trying to reduce the number of home gardeners who plant R. simplex by recommending alternatives, especially Silphium asteriscus, Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Stokesia laevis, but also including some R. simplex cultivars that are sterile.[6]

  • Dwarf Mexican Petunia or Katie Pink or Katie Ruellia -- Ruellia simplex
    Dwarf Mexican Petunia or Katie Pink or Katie Ruellia -- Ruellia simplex
  • Wild Petunia—Ruellia Simplex
    Wild Petunia—Ruellia Simplex
  • Ruellia simplex, pink
    Ruellia simplex, pink
  • Ruellia simplex, white
    Ruellia simplex, white
  • Trumpet shaped flowers
    Trumpet shaped flowers
  • Leaves and stem
    Leaves and stem
  • Blooms often fall within hours.
    Blooms often fall within hours.

References
  1. "Ruellia simplex". FLIP (Florida Invasive Plants). University of South Florida. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  2. "Ruellia simplex". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  3. "Ruellia simplex C.Wright". The Kew Plant List. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  4. "Ruellia simplex". Landscape Plants for South Florida. Palm Beach State College. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  5. "Ruellia simplex (Mexican petunia)". Invasive Species Compendium. CABI. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  6. "ENH1207/EP468: Alternatives to Invasive Plants Commonly Found in Central Florida Landscapes". Electronic Data Information Source (EDIS). Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), UF. 2018-08-29. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
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