7496.000 Russelia Jacq.

Shrubs or herbaceous sub-shrubs from a woody base, perennial, erect or scandent. Leaves opposite or whorled, sub-sessile or shortly petiolate; lamina usually ovate to lanceolate, margins entire to dentate to deeply incised; glandular scales often present. Inflorescence cymes, dichotomous, 1-3, axillary or sub-tended by bract-like leaves, often verticillate; flowers sub-sessile to long-pedunculate; bracts linear, subtending the slender pedicels. Flowers mostly small; calyx deeply 5-lobed, or with 5 sepals; corolla tubular to funnelform, slightly 2-lipped, red to pink (white), lobes 5, sub-equal. Fruit capsules, dry ovoid to sub-globose, glabrous, dehiscence septicidal. Seeds small slightly rugulose.

Worldwide: 50 species in Mexico and Guatamala.

Zimbabwe: 2 cultivated taxa.