Ruellia simplex C. Wright
Vernacular name: Mexican petunia, Wild petunia
Species Name: Ruellia simplex C. Wright
Family: Acanthaceae
Habit: Erect perennial herb/shrub
Stem: Quadrangular, green-purple, hairless or sparsely hairy
Leaf: Opposite, lanceolate-linear, prominently veined, 6-20 cm long
Flowering: Year-round
Flowers: Axillary few-flowered cymes; lavender-purple funnel-shaped tubular flowers; 5 sepals, 5 fused petals with rounded lobes, 4 stamens, superior ovary
Fruit: Club-shaped loculicidal capsules exploding to release flattened mucilaginous seeds
Uses:
- Leaf extracts are anti-inflammatory and analgesic while roots are diuretic (folk medicine)
- To manage diabetes and fever stem and leaves of plant is brewed into tea (antioxidant).
- Secondary metabolites present in plant can have anti-diabetic and skin moisturizing properties.
- Invasive wetland colonizer; Florida noxious weed; self-fertile cleistogamous flowers; seed mucilage aids water dispersal.
- Known as “Poor man’s orchid” in tropics and is used in wedding decorations.
- Popular landscape plant for borders and water gardens (invasive forms prohibited) as plant is soil and drought tolerant.
- Deep root system of plant makes effective for slope plantation as it helps with soil stabilisation and erosion control.
- Bright tubular shape flowers attracts a variety of fauna.
