Russelia equisetiformis |
Russelia |
|
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fountain or firecracker or coral plant, fountainbush |
russelia |
|
Habit | Shrubs [herbs, perennial]. | |
Stems | striate, sometimes rooting at tips, 4–12-angled, 7–15 dm, gland-dotted. |
arching [erect or ascending], glabrous [hairy]. |
Leaves | dimorphic; proximal: petiole 3–4 mm, in whorls of 3–6, blade ovate, 8–15 × 6–10 mm, margins dentate, surfaces glandular-punctate; distal: petiole 0–1 mm, opposite or whorled, blade narrowly triangular, needlelike or scalelike, 1–2 × 1 mm, margins entire. |
caducous, cauline, whorled or opposite; petiole absent or present; blade not fleshy, not leathery, margins dentate or entire, distal leaf blade needlelike or scalelike. |
Inflorescences | 2-flowered; peduncles 3–4 cm. |
axillary, cymes; bracts present. |
Pedicels | 10–15 mm. |
present; bracteoles usually present. |
Flowers | calyx lobes 2–3 mm, apex acute or mucronate; corolla 15–25 mm, glabrous, adaxial lip deeply notched; stamens 15–20 mm; staminode 0.5–0.7 mm, sometimes with an abortive anther. |
bisexual; sepals 5, basally connate, calyx bilaterally symmetric, tubular or campanulate, lobes broadly ovate [lanceolate]; corolla red, bilaterally symmetric, bilabiate, tubular [funnelform], tube base not spurred or gibbous, lobes 5, abaxial 3, adaxial 2; stamens 4, basally adnate to corolla, didynamous, filaments glabrous; staminode [0 or]1, conical [filiform]; ovary 2-locular, placentation axile; stigma subcapitate. |
Fruits | capsules, dehiscence septicidal, densely packed with white, membranous hairs. |
|
Capsules | globular, 3–6 mm; style persistent. |
|
Seeds | 0.3–0.4 mm, pitted. |
50–200, dark brown [black], ovoid, wings absent. |
× = 10. | ||
2n | = 20. |
|
Russelia equisetiformis |
Russelia |
|
Phenology | Flowering year-round. | |
Habitat | Disturbed pinelands, palmetto scrub, old gardens. | |
Elevation | 0–100 m. (0–300 ft.) | |
Distribution |
FL; Mexico [Introduced in North America] |
Mexico; Central America; n South America [Introduced, Fla.] |
Discussion | Russelia equisetiformis is distinguished by its tubular, red corollas and arching, ridged, striate stems with relatively small distal leaves. It has been in cultivation since the eighteenth century and is sometimes grown as an annual in temperate areas. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Species 52 (1 in the flora). Russelia is unique in having capsules filled with densely packed hairs. Morphological and molecular characters suggest Russelia is related to Tetranema Bentham; both seem to be basal to the clade containing Chelone and Penstemon (D. C. Albach et al. 2005). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 17, p. 294. | FNA vol. 17, p. 294. |
Parent taxa | Plantaginaceae > Russelia | Plantaginaceae |
Subordinate taxa | ||
Synonyms | R. juncea | |
Name authority | Schlechtendal & Chamisso: Linnaea 6: 377. (1831) | Jacquin: Enum. Syst. Pl., 6, 25. (1760) |
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