What Is This Thing? Smooth Ruellia and Why Some Plants Preferred Closed Marriages
![Ruella strepens (smooth ruellia)](https://fwbg.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Ruellia-strepens.jpg)
Botanists and horticulturists love a challenge. That’s why this year we’re introducing a new feature in the newsletter: What Is This Thing? This month, Martha L. of Fort Worth asks us to identify a plant with small flowers than never open. The answer tells a fascinating story about the reproductive strategies of plants–and why some prefer closed to open marriages.