Ruellia baikiei

TAB. 5111

STEPHANOPHYSUM Baikiei.

Dr. Baikies Stephanophysum.

Nat. Ord. Acanthaceae.—Didynamia Gymnospermia.

Gen. Char. Calyx 5 -partitus, laciniis angustis sequalibus. Corolla tubo brevi, faucibus in plerisque campanulato-inflatis deorsum ventricosis aliis ovalibus oblongisve aequalibus; limbi laciniis brevibus aequalibus erectis (v. magis minusve patentibus). Stamina 4, didynama, faucibus inserta, corollam plerumque aequantia; filamenta per paria basi connata; anthera biloculares, loculis parallelis, lineares, basi sagittatae, demum recurvse. Stigma bilabiatum, labiis planis acuminatis, superiore breviore. Capsula a basi ad medium contracta, elocularis, hinc bilocularis, 4-12-sperma. Semina plana, orbiculata, retinaculis fulcrata.—Herbse Americae (et Africae) tropica, foliis plus minus dentatis (v. integerrimis). Cymse umbellares, laterales, pedunculata, 4-flda, abortu bifidae, raidiis bifidis, bracteis parvis subulatis, bracteolis nullis: abortu evadunt pedunculi uniflori, sub flore bibracteati, vel flores terminales, aggregati, subracemosi, pedicellis ebracteatis. Corolla digitaliformis, coccinea. Nees in De Cand.

Stephanophysum Baikiei; suffrutex ? glaber, ramis 4-angulatis, foliis ovatolanceolatis acuminatis integerrimis basi in petiolum longum attenuatis, panicula composita terminali multiflora, calyce piloso-glanduloso, corollis elongatis infundibuliformi-tubulosis curvatis lateraliter compressis basi angusto-attenuatis medio subventricoso, laciniis patenti-recurvis, glandula hypogyna magna cupuliformi carnosa, antherse loculis basi brevi-calcaratis.

One of the many highly interesting plants lately sent home from the present Niger Expedition by its successful Commander Dr. Baikie, and collected by the indefatigable naturalist, Mr. Barter. Seeds accompanied the dried specimens, and these have germinated, and the plants flowered in great beauty during the winter months of 1858—9. The structure is in every essential particular so much of that of Stephanophysum, Pohl (of which however the thirteen species described by Nees are all South American), that I can have no hesitation in referring the plants to that genus.

Descr. Our plant is between two and three feet high, herbaceous at present, but will probably prove to be suffruticose, erect, branched with opposite, square or tetragonous, erecto-patent branches. Leaves in opposite pairs, sometimes nearly a span long, including the petiole, ovato-lanceolate, submembranaceous, entire, penniveined, acuminate, attenuated at the base. Panicle terminal, with copious bracts and bracteoles, and composed of many-flowered opposite racemes or spikes. Flowers opposite, sessile. Calyx cut nearly to the base into five, narrow, erect, linear-subulate, glanduloso-pilose segments. Corolla more than two inches long, scarlet, tubuloso-infundibuliform, curved, very slender and much tapering at the base, inflated or ventricose in the middle, the five triangular lobes of the limb patent and even recurved. Stamens included within the tube. Anthers with a small spur at the base of each cell. Ovary sunk into a large, fleshy, cup-shaped disc. Ovules about four in each cell.

Fig. 1. Calyx, including the pistil. 2. Stamens. 3. Two-celled anthers. 4. Ovary surrounded at the base by the cup-like fleshy disc:—magnified.

Stephanophysum baikiei Hook.
Bot. Mag. 85: t. 5111. 1859
Acanthaceae

Currently accepted name:

Ruellia baikiei ( Hook. ) N.E.Br.
Suppl. Johnson's Gard. Dict.: 999 (1882)