New species of Ruellia (Acanthaceae) from

southern South America

CECILIA EZCURRA AND DIETER C . WASSHAUSEN

Ezcurra, Cecilia (Instituto de Botfinica Darwinion, C.C. 22, 1642 San Isidro,
Argentina) and Wasshausen, Dieter C. (Department of Botany, Smithsonian In-
stitution, Washington, DC 20560). New species of Ruellia (Acanthaceae) from
southern South America. Brittonia 44: 69-73. 1992.--Two new species of Ruel-
lia, R. epaliocaulos from northeastern Argentina, southern Brazil, and eastern
Paraguay, and R. kleinii from southern Brazil, are described, illustrated and com-
pared to related species.
Key words: Acanthaceae, Ruellia, South America.

Ruellia L. is one o f the largest genera o f Hygrophiloides o f Dipteracanthus, a genus

the Acanthaceae, consisting o f more than
250 species o f herbs, subshrubs and shrubs
with a pantropical distribution. In the N e w
World, species of Ruellia are also found in
the subtropics, where the genus represents
one o f the highest n u m b e r s o f taxa and the
greatest diversity, especially in floral m o r -
phology and inflorescence pattern. The ge-
nus is generally characterized by a combi-
nation o f funnelform or salverform corollas
with narrow corolla tubes and campanulate
corolla limbs with five spreading lobes along
with four d i d y n a m o u s stamens each with
muticous, bilocular anthers. M a n y o f the
species have o r n a m e n t a l value because o f
their handsome, large, colorful flowers.
In South America, since Nees's treat-
ments o f the Acanthaceae for Martius's Flo-
ra Brasiliensis (1847a) and for the Prodro-
mus o f De Candolle (1847b), the genus has
been subject to revisionary work for only a
few regional floras. Studies in the Acantha-
ceae from this area by both authors have
recently produced t a x o n o m i c novelties in
the genus (Ezcurra, 1989; Ezcurra & de Az-
kue, 1989; Wasshausen, 1988), and have
now resulted in recognition o f two previ-
ously undescribed species o f Ruellia from
southeastern South America.
Both species show close affinities to those
placed by Nees (1847b) in the informal group
currently considered within Ruellia s. lato
by most authors, sometimes with a section-
al status. The species o f group Hygrophi-
loides share markedly quadrangular stems,
relatively small, white, pink or mauve, ax-
illary, generally sessile, bibracteolate flow-
ers, and small, markedly stipitate, few-seed-
ed capsules. All species described by Nees
in this group grow in the Guianas and Bra-
zilian Amazonia, in h u m i d places at low
elevations. The new species described be-
low share this habitat, but occur in extra-
A m a z o n i a n Brazil and neighboring south-
ern South America.
Ruellia epallocaulos Leonard ex Ezcurra and
Wasshaussen sp. nov. (Figs. 1D - G , 2)
TYPE: P A R A G U A Y . Alto Parami: in re-
gione fluminis Alto Paranfi, Oct 1909, Fie-
brig 5372 (HOLOTYPE: SI!; ISOTYPES: G!, K!,
US!).
Herba perennis suffruticosa0.30-1 malta, ad basim
sublignosa, caulibus erectis vel decumbentibus, qua-
drangularibus, glabris, nodis radicantibus; foliorum
lamina ovata, 3-6 (-10) cm longa, 1-2 (-3.5) cm lata,
acuta vel acuminata, basi obtusa vel rotundata, glabra,
leviter crenulata; flores sessiles, solitarii vel geminati
rare pedunculati, bracteolis lanceolatis, 3-5 mm longis,
acutis; calycis segrnenta ca 1.5 cm longa, 2-3 mm lata,
oblongo-lanceolata vel spathulata, obtusa vel rotun-
data; corolla violacea 4-5 cm longa, tubo basali quam
faucibus paullo longiore, lobis suborbicularibus, 0.5-

Brittonia, 44(1), 1992, pp. 69-73. ISSUED: 20 March 1992

9 1992, by the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458-5126
70 BRITTONIA [VOL. 44

Y I 5n~n

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V5r~n !
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 1992] EZCURRA A N D WASSHAUSEN: NEW SPECIES OF RUELLIA 71

FIG. 2. SEM photomicrographs of Ruellia epallocaulos (Hatschbach 16950) pollen. A. Equatorial view,
x 1300. B. Portion of surface, x 3500.

1 cm longis; stamina inclusa; capsula clavata, 2-4-sper-
ma; semina margine madefacta adpresso-pilosa.
Suffruticose perennial 0.30-1 m tall,
branched from a subligneous base. Stems
erect or somewhat decumbent, quadran-
gular, glabrous, rooting at the nodes. Leaves
on glabrous petioles 0.4-1 cm long, the blade
ovate, 3-6 (-10) cm long and 1-2 (-3.5) cm
wide, acute or acuminate, obtuse or round-
ed at the base, glabrous, the margins faintly
and irregularly crenate. Flowers sessile, sol-
itary, sometimes in twos, in reduced sessile
dichasia condensed in the axils of the upper
leaves, these rarely pedunculate. Bracteoles
small, lanceolate, 3-5 m m long. Calyx 1-
1.8 cm long, the segments subequal, oblong-
lanceolate to spathulate, rounded or obtuse,
to 1.5 cm long, more or less glabrous, short-
ciliate, the posterior longest. Corolla purple
or blue, 4-5 cm long, the basal tube 1.8-2.5
cm long, the throat obconic, 1-1.5 cm in
diam, the lobes spreading, suborbicular, 0.5-
1 cm wide. Stamens included, shorter pair
of filaments 6 m m long, longer pair of fil-
aments ca 8 m m long, the anthers 2.5 m m
long, pollen spheroidal, 48/~m in diam, the
reticulum homobrochate. Ovary and style
glabrous. Capsule narrowly ovate, 1.2-1.5
cm long, 3-4 m m thick, markedly stipitate
with a solid base ca 4 m m long, the surface
glabrous, apiculate. Retinacula 2 mm long;
seeds 2-2.5 m m in diam, glabrous, the mar-
gins pubescent and mucilaginous when wet-
ted.
Distribution: Eastern Paraguay, north-

6.-
FIG. 1. A-C. Ruellia kleinii (.4. B. Klein 7333; C. Klein 8476). A. Flowering branch. B. Calyx. C. Capsule.
D-G. Ruellia epallocaulos (Hatschbach 8322). D. Flowering branch. E. Bracteoles and calyx. F. Calyx segments.
G. Open capsule, showing retinacula and seeds.
72 BRITTONIA
eastern Argentina a n d southern Brazil, in
the basin o f the Paranfi River. It is found in
the shade o f gallery forest, generally in hu-
m i d places near water courses. Flowering
f r o m August to N o v e m b e r .
Additional specimens examined: ARGENTINA.
Misiones: Yarup~i, Arroyo Las Tranqueras, Grondona
& Spegazzini 1374 (BAB); Puerto Pampa, Kermes 197
(BAB); San Ignacio, Quiroga s.n. (BA 21419); Dpto.
Montecarlo, Arroyo Piray Guazfi y rum 12, Schinini
19904 (CTES). BRAZIL. Parami: Mun. Cerro Azul,
Turvo, Hatschbach 5025 (MBM); Mun. Cerro Azul,
Cerro Azul, 13 Nov 1961, Hatschbach 8322 (HBR,
MBM, US); Mun. Cianorte, Fazenda Lag6a, 24 Aug
1967, Hatschbach 16950 (MBM, US); Porecatu,
Hatschbach 23475 (MBM); Mun. Cerro Azul, Barra
do Tigre, 5 Oct 1977, Hatschbach 40347 (MBM, US).
PARAGUAY. Alto Paranh: in regione fluminis Alto
Paranfi. Fiebrig 5751 (G, SI).
Ruellia epallocaulos superficially resem-
b l e s R. (sect. P h y s i r u e l l i a ) a n g u s t i f l o r a
(Nees) L i n d a u ex R a m b o , a species very
c o m m o n in h u m i d gallery forests o f south-
ern Brazil, northern Uruguay, a n d eastern
P a r a g u a y a n d Argentina (Ezcurra, 1989), in
h a b i t a n d size o f flowers; b u t R. angustiflora
can easily by distinguished b y the long-pe-
dunculate, axillary, m a n y - f l o w e r e d cymes,
the n a r r o w e r red flowers with subexserted
stamens, and by the bigger capsule with m o r e
n u m e r o u s seeds. E m e r y L e o n a r d p r o p o s e d
the epithet o f the new species on a herbar-
i u m sheet without a description. T h e spe-
cific n a m e alludes to the long, continuous
stem o f this taxon. SEM p h o t o m i c r o g r a p h s
(Fig. 2) o f the pollen o f this new species are
p r o v i d e d for c o m p a r a t i v e purposes.
W i t h i n group Hygrophiloides Nees, R.
epallocaulos is unique in the large, long
flowers a n d the obtuse or rounded, s o m e -
times spathulate calyx segments.
Ruellia kleinii Ezcurra & W a s s h a u s e n sp.
nov. (Fig. 1A--C)
TYPE: B R A Z I L . Santa Catarina: M o r r o
de Ribeirfio, Ilha de Santa Catarina, Flori-
a n 6 p o l i s , 18 A p r 1967, K l e i n 7 3 3 3
(HOLOTYPE: US!; ISOTYPES: HBR!, MBM!).
Herba perennis, suffruticosa, humilis, 50 cm alta,
caulibus erectis, quadrangularibus, glabris; lamina fo-
liorum ovata, 2.5-3.5 cm longa, ca 1.5 cm lata, acuta
vel acuminata, basi cuneata, leviter erenulata, puberu-
la; flores sessiles, solitarii vel ternati, rare pedunculati,
bracteolis ca 1 cm longis, 3-4 mm latis, obovatis; ca-
[VOL. 44
lycis segmenta linearia, 7-8 mm longa, 1 mm lata,
acuta; corolla alba, 1.5-2 cm longa, tubo basali fau-
cibus aequanti, lobis suborbicularibus ca 4 mm longis;
stamina inclusa; capsula clavata, paueisperma; semina
margine adpresso-pilosa.
Suffruticose herb to 50 c m high; stems
erect, markedly quadrangular. Leaves ovate,
2.5-3.3 c m long, 1.5 c m wide, acute or acu-
minate, cuneate to attenuate, puberulous.
Flowers subsessile, solitary, s o m e t i m e s in
sessile or pedunculate dichasia reduced to
3 flowers, in the axils o f the u p p e r leaves;
bractlets obovate, foliaceous, less t h a n 1 c m
long a n d 3 - 4 m m broad. Calyx ca 1 c m long
with linear segments 7-8 m m long a n d 1
m m broad, puberulous. Corolla white, 1.5-
2 c m long, the basal tube 6 - 7 m m long, the
t h r o a t obconic, 6 m m long, 5 m m d i a m , the
lobes suberect, 4 m m long a n d 3 m m broad.
S t a m e n s included, shorter pair o f filaments
3 m m long, longer pair 4 m m , the anthers
ca 1.5 m m long. Capsule stipitate, a p p r o x -
i m a t e l y 1 c m long, few-seeded.
Distribution: Southern Brazil, on the is-
land o f Santa Catarina. It is f o u n d near sea
level, growing in open, h u m i d places. Flow-
ering f r o m N o v e m b e r to February.
Additional specimens examined: BRAZIL. Santa
Catarina: Ilha de Santa Catarina, Florian6polis, no pasto
fimido, 20 Nov 1969, Klein & Bresolin 8476 (US); Ilha
de Santa Catarina, Tapera, Ribeirfio, orla da mata, 20
Jan 1970, Klein & Bresolin 8532 (US); Ilha de Santa
Catarina, Florian6polis, Lag6a do Piri, 26 Feb 1970,
Klein & Souza 8626 (US); Ilha de Santa Catarina, La-
gra do Piri, 3 Feb 1952, Smith & Reitz 6192 (US).
T h i s species is n a m e d in h o n o r o f R o b e r -
to M. Klein, in recognition o f his botanical
collections and his valuable contributions
to our knowledge o f the plant ecology o f
Santa Catarina.
Ruellia kleinii appears to be related to R.
menthoides (Nees) Lindau o f A m a z o n i a n
Brazil, but R. menthoides differs in the larg-
er flowers, smaller calyx lobes, the s o m e -
w h a t m o r e robust habit, a n d the longer, lan-
ceolate leaf blades.
Acknowledgments
W e t h a n k the curators o f B A , BAB, CTES,
G, H B R , K, M B M , SI, a n d U S for their
c o o p e r a t i o n in the loan o f material or access
to the collections. W e very m u c h appreciate
1992] EZCURRA AND WASSHAUSEN: NEW SPECIES OF RUELLIA
the skillful line drawings o f Vladimiro Du-
das o f Instituto Darwini6n, and the high
quality pollen micrographs o f the staff o f
the National M u s e u m o f Natural History
SEM Laboratory. We also acknowledge the
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cien-
tificas y T6cnicas o f Argentina (CONICET)
and the Smithsonian Institution for finan-
cial support.
Literature Cited
Ezcurra, C. 1989. Ruellia sanguinea (Acanthaceae)
y especies relacionadas en Argentina, Uruguay y
sur de Brasil. Darwiniana 29: 269-287.
BOOK REVIEW
M a n u a l of the F l o w e r i n g P l a n t s o f H a w a i ' i .
2 Vols. By Warren L. Wagner, Derral R.
Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. University o f
Hawaii Press, 2840 Kolowalu St., H o -
nolulu, H I 96822. ISBN 0-8248-1152-6.
1990. 1853 pp. $85 (cloth).
This two v o l u m e work is undoubtedly a
very important contribution to our knowl-
edge o f Hawaiian flowering plants. It is im-
pressive that a work o f such high standard
has been completed in a relatively short
time. The first v o l u m e begins with various
introductory chapters, including ones on ge-
ology, climate, vegetation, and i m p o r t a n t
collections. I could not help wondering about
the statement on p. 3: "the native flora is
depauperate and consists entirely o f waif
elements derived from long distance dis-
persal." Is this really true? It is extraordi-
nary how ingrained this idea has become.
The islands, or their predecessors, have ex-
isted throughout the Tertiary, a time when
allochthonous terranes were moving across
the Pacific. It seems at least likely that other
land was present in the Pacific, and that this
must have influenced the native flora and
fauna o f Hawai'i. T o misquote J o h n Donne,
" N o island is an island."
Having said all that, this flora really is a
first class work. One h u n d r e d and forty-six
families are treated. Each one is briefly de-
scribed, a key to its genera given, and each
73
- - & D. de Azkue. 1989. Validation and genetic
and morphological relationships of Ruellia macro-
solen (Acanthaceae)from southern South America.
Syst. Bot. 14:297-303.
Nees, C.G. 1847a. Acanthaceae. In: C. Martius, ed-
itor. Flora Brasiliensis 9: 1-164.
9 1847b. Acanthaceae. In: A. P. de Candolle,
editor. Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Veg-
etabilis 11: 46-519.
Wasshausen, D.C. 1988. New and interesting species
of Acanthaceae from Peru. Beitr. Biol. Pflanzen 63:
421-429.
genus (649 total) is described and keyed.
Each species (1817 total) is concisely de-
scribed and m a n y species are illustrated with
very clear line drawings. There are also notes
on distribution, habitat, taxonomy, rela-
tionships, pollination, and phenology.
The treatments appear to be even and
well-edited. I was glad to see on p. 8 a dis-
cussion o f species concepts, and an explicit
statement o f the concept used in the book.
It seems to have been followed by most con-
tributors. And yet one still cannot help won-
dering about the significance o f m a n y o f the
characters used in the keys. F r o m only a
superficial survey it is clear that species are
differentiated on trivial characters. What,
for example, is the biological significance o f
the difference between two species, one o f
which has " l e a f blades 15-35 cm long, 5 -
1 1 cm wide" and the other " l e a f blades 2 8 -
68 cm long, 7-20 cm wide"? Can such slight,
vegetative differences really distinguish two
species? In general, is it not possible that
there are actually far fewer species o f flow-
ering plant in the world, and that those pres-
ent show great subspecific variability? These
idle thoughts are not a criticism, indeed they
are inspired by this fine work on the Ha-
waiian flora. The b o o k will be an example
for other compilers o f floras to follow, and
will be the basis for future study o f the fas-
c i n a t i n g flora o f the islands. -- ANDREW
HENDERSON,New York Botanical Garden.