Flower ID: IMG_8333.JPG-08-02-2021 Flower name (scientific): Ruellia humilis Nuttall PY: 1835. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) roo-EL-ee-uh HEW-mil-is Flower name (common): Wild Petunia Family name (common): Acanthus Family name (scientific): Acanthaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Named in honor of French physician and botanist Jean Ruelle (or Jean de la Ruelle) (1474 – 1537). Specific epithet: From the Latin for low growing, or close to the ground, and refers to where the flowers may often be found. Common name origin: Wild for growing in uncultivated habitats. Petunia was initially used for funnel-shaped flowers of the genus Petunia, now used more broadly for similar shaped flowers with comparable colors, often grown in cultivation. Flower description: Size: 1.0 to 1.2 inches (2.5 to 3.0 cm) wide, 1.2 to 2.8 inches (3.0 to 7.1 cm) long. Petal count: 5 Color: pink or purple Other: flower arrangement, Solitary Plant description: Size: 3 to 24 inches (8 to 61 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is opposite, type is simple Size: Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, broadly lanceolate, deltoid, or ovate (IL), narrowly to broadly ovate (MP) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon Bloom time (typical): June to August Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Prairies, savannas, forest openings, woods, disturbed areas, roadsides, sun, dry to mesic. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Ruellia pedunculata (Stalked Wild Petunia) and Ruellia strepens (Wild Petunia) have a resemblance to Ruellia humilis. Ruellia pedunculata has not been recorded in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Iowa, but has been observed in Illinois and more southern states. Similarly, Ruellia strepens has not been recorded from Wisconsin and MInnesota, but has been observed in Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and more southern and south-eastern states. The calyx lobes of Ruellia strepens are typically 2 to 4 mm wide, those of Ruellia pedunculata and Ruellia humilis are typically 0.5 to 1.5 mm wide. Ruellia humilis has stem hairs 1 to 2 mm long and petioles 1 to 3 mm long, whereas Ruellia pedunculata has stem hairs 0.1 to 0.3 mm long and petioles 3 to 15 mm long. Ethnobotany: Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Crawford, Dane, Grant, Portage, Rock, Walworth, Waukesha) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, OH, OK, PA, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map In Canada: References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na Wetland Status (NC): FACU Wetland Status (MW): FACU