rukouksia

Rukouksia is a fictional genus of flowering plants created for use in botanical fiction and world-building. It is described as part of an imaginary family, Rukouksiaceae, and is said to be endemic to cloud forests on the eastern archipelago of Neralis. The name combines imagined local terms with a Latin suffix, reflecting its lore within the setting.

Rukouksia species are evergreen shrubs or small trees, typically 2–8 meters tall. Leaves are opposite, simple, and glossy, with lanceolate to elliptic blades. The flowers form in loose panicles and have a tubular corolla with five lobes, usually white to pale lilac, often marked by a contrasting nectar guide. Fruits are capsules or paired follicles containing small seeds.

Ecology and distribution: they inhabit montane cloud forests at elevations roughly 1,000–2,200 meters, on well-drained acidic soils with high humidity. Pollination is attributed to nocturnal and crepuscular visitors such as bats and hawkmoths; seeds are dispersed by birds and, in some species, by the wind.

In cultivation and use, rukouksia is valued ornamentally for its foliage and delicate flowers. In the fictional culture, the flowers are used in perfumes and dyes, while the wood is described as lightweight and workable for small carvings.

As a fictional taxon, rukouksia has no standing in real-world taxonomy. It appears in companion guides and encyclopedic appendices within the fiction, with ongoing updates as the world-building evolves.