Ruellia tuberosa

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Haiti, Venezuela

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Antiseptic, Bladder, Bronchitis, Constipation

Science studied: HENTRIACONTANE, NONACOSANE, BETA-SITOSTEROL, CAMPESTEROL

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Acanthaceae

Scientific name: Ruellia tuberosa

Common names: Batatilla, Bluebell, Cracker Plant, Daniel's great gun, Devil's Bit, Dinamita, Duppy Gun Shot, Duppy gun, Fever Bit, Fever Root, Fleur (s) petard (s), Fulminante, Guauci, Ipéca bâtard, Kencana Ungu, Lia, Lia huevos, Meadow Weed, Menow weed (Jamaica), Minnie root

POWO: 54671-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Dominican Republic, Elsewhere, Trinidad, Haiti, Venezuela.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Antiseptic
• Bladder
• Bronchitis
• Constipation
• Cystitis
• Depurative
• Diaphoretic
• Diuretic

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Dominican Republic
• Elsewhere
• Trinidad
• Haiti
• Venezuela

Documented cultural uses

• Antiseptic
• Bladder
• Bronchitis
• Constipation
• Cystitis
• Depurative
• Diaphoretic
• Diuretic
• Emetic
• Fever
• Flu
• Gonorrhea

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Antiseptic · Dominican Republic · "
• Bladder · Dominican Republic · "
• Bronchitis · Elsewhere · "
• Constipation · Trinidad · "
• Cystitis · Haiti · "
• Depurative · Trinidad · "
• Diaphoretic · Haiti · "
• Diuretic · Haiti · "
• Emetic · Venezuela · "
• Fever · Haiti · "
• Flu · Trinidad · "
• Gonorrhea · Venezuela · "
• Pertussis · Haiti · "
• Venereal · Trinidad · "
• Anodyne · Haiti · "
• Bladder · Elsewhere · "
• Emetic · Elsewhere · "
• Leprosy · Venezuela · "
• Purgative · Dominican Republic · "
• Stone · Elsewhere · "
• Oliguria · Trinidad · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Pharmacological Characterization of <i>Ruellia tuberosa</i> Ethanolic Extract in a Rodent Model of Cognitive Impairment. · 2026 source ↗
• Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of Ruellia tuberosa L.: A Review. · 2024 source ↗
• Fabrication of zinc oxide nanoparticles using <i>Ruellia tuberosa</i> leaf extract induces apoptosis through P53 and STAT3 signalling pathways in prostate cancer cells. · 2025 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• HENTRIACONTANE
• NONACOSANE
• BETA-SITOSTEROL
• CAMPESTEROL
• STIGMASTEROL

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

checking published revisions…