Commelina communis
Asiatic dayflower, comméline commune
at proximal nodes.
diffusely branched.
blade narrowly lanceolate to ovate-elliptic, 5–12 × 1–4 cm, apex acute to acuminate.
distal cyme usually vestigial, included, sometimes 1-flowered, exserted;
spathes solitary, green, paler or whitish basally with contrasting, dark green veins, pedunculate, usually not falcate, 1.5–3(–3.5) × 0.8–1.3(–1.8) cm, margins distinct, scabrous, not ciliate, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous to puberulent;
peduncles 0.8–3.5(–5) cm.
bisexual (rarely staminate);
proximal petal paler or white, very reduced, distal petals blue to bluish purple;
staminodes 3;
antherodes yellow sometimes with central maroon spot, cruciform.
2-locular, 2-valved, 4.5–8 mm.
4, brown, (2–)2.5–4.2 × 2.2–3 mm, rugose pitted-reticulate.
Commelina communis
Commelina communis var. ludens (Miquel) C. B. Clarke is distinguished by its darker flowers, antherodes with maroon centers (instead of entirely yellow), distalmost cyme less well developed and usually not producing a flower, and spathes proportionally broader. I have not found it possible to separate this regularly from C. communis var. communis, which also occurs in the flora. A variegated form of C. communis var. ludens, forma aureostriata MacKeever, occurs spontaneously and has been noted from Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Go Botany
IL Wildflowers
KS Wildflowers
LA Plants
MD Biodiversity
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
MO Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
