Ruellia brittoniana Leonard, Acanthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Ruellia coerulea Morong; Ruellia malacosperma Greenm.; Ruellia simplex C. Wright; Ruellia spectabilis Britton; Ruellia tweedieana Griseb.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Britton's wild petunia, Mexican blue-bells, Mexican petunia, Spanish-ladies

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Erect perennial herbs; lower stems sometimes becoming somewhat woody, 0.5-1 m long.  Leaves linear-elliptic to linear-lanceolate, 8-22 cm long, 0.8-1.5 cm wide, glabrate, petioles 10-24 mm long.  Flowers in cymose panicles, each flower subtended by 2 linear bracts 3-7 mm long; calyx lobes 5, linear, 8-12 mm long; corolla lavender, the throat purple, 4-4.5 cm long. Capsules ellipsoid, 2-2.5 cm long, glabrous"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 174).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "cultivated as an ornamental but easily escaping, now naturalized and often found in dry habitats such as cracks in sidewalks and disturbed, shaded gulch bottoms"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 174).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Mexico, Caribbean islands, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay; Uruguay (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced invasive	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Introduced - Recent, Naturalised; Land, lowlands - inland valleys.
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) As Ruellia malacosperma
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) As Ruellia malacosperma
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) As Ruellia malacosperma
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Niau Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 10144 (PAP) Naturalisée
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 174)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. (2002) (p. 2) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H70094 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 174) Voucher cited: St. John 10515 (BISH)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 98)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Midway Atoll	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 174)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2008) (pp. B-13)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 7)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)		Missouri Botanical Garden (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)		Missouri Botanical Garden (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)		Missouri Botanical Garden (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)		Missouri Botanical Garden (2013)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 254) Ornamental.
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 189)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)		Missouri Botanical Garden (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)		Missouri Botanical Garden (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves/Lavergne, Christophe (2004) (p. 346)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Ruellia brittoniana, please let us know.