Ruellia devosiana Morren., Acanthaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Brazilian wild petunia

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Perennial herb; main stem sprawling, side branches ±erect, to 18 inches tall, pubescent.  Leaves shortly petiolate; blades broadly lanceolate to elliptic, to 3 inches long, upper side green with silvery white along veins, underside purplish.  Flowers solitary, axillary; calyx lobes linear, margins ciliate; corolla to 1.75 inches long, white streaked with purple or lilac, tube narrow at base, flaring into throat, lobes notched apically"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 91).

"Perennial herb to 18" tall, with opposite 3" leaves having silvery veins above and purple undersides, 1.5-2" tubular white flowers streaked with purple, and 1/2-3/4 in. club-shaped fruits" (Hawai‘i's Most Invasive Horticultural Plants).

Habitat/ecology:  Moist forests (Hawai‘i's Most Invasive Horticultural Plants).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Brazil (Lorence et al, 1995; p. 20).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. (1995) (p. 20) Voucher cited: T. Flynn et al. 3524 (BH, BISH, MO, NA, NY, PTBG, US)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Ruellia devosiana is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Ruellia devosiana as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Ruellia devosiana may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy W./Wagner, Warren L. 1995. Contributions to the flora of Hawai‘i. III. New additions, range extensions, and rediscoveries of flowering plants. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1994. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 41:19-58.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. 2000. Survey of invasive or potentially invasive cultivated plants in Hawai‘i. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers No. 65. 35 pp.

U. S. Government. 2011. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).