About Ruellia inundata Kunth
This species, Ruellia inundata Kunth, has erect or occasionally trailing stems. Its leaves grow on short stalks, are less than two inches long, and have a soft, hairy texture. Individual leaves can be oval, egg-shaped, or broader at the tip, tapering to either a pointed or rounded base. The plant produces clusters of pink flowers that emerge from leaf axils, and each cluster is accompanied by small, leafy bracts. The flowers have a distinctive form: a narrow tube that flares open into a wider, trumpet-like bell, with petals that often curl backwards. Stamens are held neatly inside the flower and do not protrude outward. The inflorescence is made up of branches that form dense, head-like capitate clusters. The fruit is a dry, club-shaped capsule, up to 1 centimeter long. When ripe, the capsule splits open to release its seeds, with up to four seeds per pod, while the central core of the fruit remains intact. Flowering occurs from November to June.
