Contains 9 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
COMMELINA Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 40. 1753.
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TYPE: Commelina communis Linnaeus Lectotypified by Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 1: 457. 1913.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commelina benghalensis | JIO; BENGHAL DAYFLOWER | Not Native FACU (NWPL) FACW (DEP) | ||
| Commelina caroliniana | CAROLINA DAYFLOWER | Not Native FAC (NWPL) FACW (DEP) | ||
| Commelina communis | ASIATIC DAYFLOWER | Not Native FAC (NWPL) FACW (DEP) | ||
| Commelina diffusa var. diffusa | COMMON DAYFLOWER | Not Native FACW (NWPL) T (WAP) FACW (DEP) | ||
| Commelina diffusa var. gigas | CLIMBING DAYFLOWER | Not Native FACW (NWPL) FACW (DEP) | ||
| Commelina erecta | WHITEMOUTH DAYFLOWER | Native FACU (NWPL) | ||
| Commelina forskaolii | RAT'S EAR | Not Native FACW (DEP) | ||
| Commelina gambiae | GAMBIAN DAYFLOWER | Not Native FACW (DEP) | ||
| Commelina virginica | VIRGINIA DAYFLOWER | Native FACW (NWPL) FACW (DEP) |
Identification Key
1. Margins of spathe free to the base
2
1. Margins of spathe clearly united in the basal portion
5
2. Spathes sometimes with whitish or pale green patches with contrasting, dark green veins; lower petal white or paler than others; capsule 2-locular; seeds rugose pitted-reticulate
2. Spathes without contrasting veins; all petals bluish and concolorous with others; capsule 3-locular; seeds reticulate or smooth to faintly alveolate
3
3. Spathes not at all to slightly falcate; distal cyme usually vestigial (rarely well developed, 1-flowered); seeds smooth to faintly alveolate
3. Spathes usually distinctly falcate; distal cyme in larger spathes usually well developed, 1-several-flowered; seeds reticulate
4
4. Leaf blades 1.5-5(-8) × 0.5-1(-2.2) cm; medial anther connective with broad transverse violet band; capsules 5-seeded (occasionally less, by abortion)
4. Leaf blades 6-14 × 1-3.3 cm; medial anther connective without dark band; capsules typically 1-2-seeded
5. Leaf sheaths often with red hairs; leaf blades (1)1.5-4(5) cm wide
6
5. Leaf sheaths without red hairs; leaf; leaf blades 0.1-1.5 cm wide (rarely wider in FL material)
6. Main stems ascending to decumbent, repent or scrambling; leaf sheaths often red-pilose; leaf blades 1-11 cm long, 1.5-4(4.5) cm wide, 1.3-1.9 times as long as wide, the apex rounded to obtuse; spathes 0.5--2 cm long, pubescent; subterranean, cleistogamous flowers sometimes present
6. Main stems erect to ascending; leaf sheaths with red hairs at summit; leaf blades 6-20 cm long, (1)1.5-3.5(5) cm wide, 4-6 times as long as wide, the apex acute to attenuate; spathes 1.5-3.5 cm long, glabrate; subterranean, cleistogamous flowers absent
7. Roots stout, ca. 2 mm thick; leaf sheaths with auricles at summit; leaf blades 2.6-31 times as long as wide; spathes with or without patch of septate hairs; lower petal white, less than ½ the size of upper petals; locules all 1-seeded; seeds mostly smooth
7. Roots thin, ca. 1 mm thick; leaf sheaths not auriculate; leaf blades 4-25 times as long as wide; lower petal white or blue to lilac or lavender, not or only slightly smaller than upper petals; spathes with patch of septate hairs; some locules usually 2-seeded; seeds smooth or reticulate
9
8. Leaf blade 4-8 times as long as wide; spathe tip acute; upper petals blue; seeds smooth
8. Leaf blade 7.5-25 times as long as wide; spathe tip acuminate; upper petals peach-colored to very pale orangeish; seeds reticulate
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allosperma | Allosperma Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 4: 122. 1838 ("1836"). | TYPE: Allosperma tuberosum (Linnaeus) Rafinesque (Commelina tuberosa Linnaeus) = Erxlebia Medikus 1790. | |
| Allotria | Allotria Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 70. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Allotria scabra Rafinesque, nom. illegit. (Commelina virginica Linnaeus | |
| Ananthopus | Ananthopus Rafinesque, Fl. Ludov. 20. 1817. | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Dirtea | Dirtea Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 69. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Disecocarpus | Disecocarpus Hasskarl, Flora 49: 211. 1866. | TYPE: Disecocarpus polygamus (Roth) Hasskarl (Commelina polygama Roth) | |
| Ditelesia | Ditelesia Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 69. 1837 ("1836") | TYPE: Ditelesia nudiflora Rafinesque | |
| Erxlebia | Erxlebia Medikus, Hist. & Commentat. Acad. Elect. Sci. 6(Phys.): 494. 1790. | TYPE: Erxlebia fusiformis Medikus, nom. illegit. (Commelina tuberosa Linnaeus) | |
| Eudipetala | Eudipetala Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 68. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Eudipetala deficiens (Hooker) Rafinesque (Commelina deficiens Hooker) | |
| Hedwigia | Hedwigia Medikus, Hist. & Commentat. Acad. Elect. Sci. 6(Phys.): 495. 1790, nom. rej. vs. Hedwigia Palisot de Beauvois 1804; non Hedwigia Swartz 1788. | TYPE: Hedwigia africana (Linnaeus) Medikus (Commelina africana Linnaeus) | |
| Heterocarpus | Heterocarpus Wight, Icon. Pl. 6: 29, pl. 2067. 1853. | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Larnalles | Larnalles Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 70. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Lechea | Lechea Loureiro, Fl. Cochinch. 34, 60. 1790, non Linnaeus 1753. | TYPE: Lechea chinensis Loureiro | |
| Nephralles | Nephralles Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 70. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Nephralles parviflora Rafinesque | |
| Omphalotheca | Omphalotheca Hasskarl, Bull. Congr. Int. Bot. Hort. Amsterdam 1865: 103. 1866, non Ehrenberg 1854. | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Ovidia | Ovidia Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 68. 1837 ("1836"), nom. rej. vs. Ovidia Meisner 1857. | TYPE: Ovidia gracilis (Ruiz Lopez & Pavon) Rafinesque (Commelina gracilis Ruiz Lopez & Pavon) | |
| Spathodithyros | Spathodithyros Hasskarl, Flora 49: 211. 1866. | TYPE: Spathodithyros suffruticosus (Blume) Hasskarl (Commelina suffruticosa Blume) | |
| Trithyrocarpus | Trithyrocarpus Hasskarl, Flora 42: 211. 1866. | TYPE: Non designatus. |