View source for Commelina

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Commelina
|accepted_authority=Plumier ex Linnaeus
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=Sp. Pl.
|place=1: 40. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed.; 5:25, 1754
|year=1754
}}
|common_names=Dayflower;widow's-tears
|basionyms=
|synonyms=
|hierarchy=Commelinaceae;Commelina
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Commelinaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Commelina]]</div></div>
|etymology=for the two Dutch botanists Jan and Kaspar Commelijn, because of the two showy petals
|volume=Volume 22
|mention_page=
|treatment_page=
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-d0_s0" data-properties="whole_organism duration;whole_organism duration;whole_organism growth form"><b>Herbs,</b> perennial or annual.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s1" data-properties="root width;root architecture"><b>Roots </b>thin or tuberous.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s2" data-properties="leaf arrangement;leaf arrangement;leaf pubescence"><b>Leaves </b>2-ranked or spirally arranged, not glaucous;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s3" data-properties="blade architecture;blade architecture">blade sessile or petiolate.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s4" data-properties="inflorescence position or structure subtype;inflorescence position"><b>Inflorescences </b>terminal, leaf-opposed;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s5" data-properties="cyme quantity;flower quantity;flower architecture">cymes 1–2, enclosed in spathes, proximal cyme several-flowered, distal cyme vestigial or with 1–several staminate flowers;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s6" data-properties="margin fusion;margin fusion">spathes often filled with mucilaginous liquid, margins distinct or basally connate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s7" data-properties="bracteole presence">bracteoles usually absent.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s8" data-properties="flower reproduction;flower architecture;flower architecture or shape"><b>Flowers </b>bisexual and staminate, bilaterally symmetric;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s9" data-properties="pedicel development">pedicels well developed;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s10" data-properties="sepal fusion;proximal sepal quantity;proximal sepal fusion;proximal sepal size">sepals distinct or proximal 2 connate, unequal;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s11" data-properties="petal fusion;proximal petal size;proximal petal size;distal petal quantity;distal petal quantity;distal petal coloration;distal petal shape">petals distinct, proximal petal often different color than distal 2, smaller or subequal, distal 2 blue (occasionally lilac, lavender, yellow, peach, apricot, or white), clawed;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s12" data-properties="stamen atypical quantity;stamen quantity;proximal stamen quantity;proximal stamen reproduction;distal stamen atypical quantity;distal stamen quantity;distal stamen size">stamens (5–) 6, proximal 3 fertile, medial different in form, size from others, distal (2–) 3 staminodial;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s13" data-properties="filament pubescence">filaments glabrous;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s14" data-properties="antherode shape">antherodes commonly 4–6-lobed;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s15" data-properties="ovary architecture or structure in adjective form;ovule quantity;ovule architecture or arrangement">ovary 2–3-locular, ovules 1–2 per locule, 1-seriate.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s16" data-properties="capsule architecture;capsule architecture or structure in adjective form"><b>Capsules </b>2–3-valved, 2–3-locular.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s17" data-properties="seed quantity"><b>Seeds </b>1–2 per locule;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s18" data-properties="hilum arrangement or course or shape">hilum linear;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s19" data-properties="">embryotega lateral.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s20" data-properties="embryotegum position;x chromosome quantity">x = 11–15.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=Almost worldwide;mainly tropical
|discussion=<p>Species ca. 170 (9 in the flora).</p>
|tables=
|references={{Treatment/Reference
|id=brashier1966a
|text=Brashier, C. K. 1966. A revision of Commelina (Plum.) L. in the U.S.A. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 93: 1--19.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=faden1993a
|text=Faden, R. B. 1993b. The misconstrued and rare species of Commelina (Commelinaceae) in the eastern United States. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 80: 208--218.
}}{{Treatment/Reference
|id=pennell1916a
|text=Pennell, F. W. 1916. Notes on plants of the southern United States—I. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 43: 96--111.
}}
}}<!--

--><div class="treatment-key">
==Key==
<div class="treatment-key-group">
  
{| class="wikitable fna-keytable"
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Spathes with margins distinct to base.
|[[#key-0-2| > 2]]
|-id=key-0-1
|1
|Spathes with margins connate basally.
|[[#key-0-5| > 5]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Perennials with erect to ascending stems; roots tuberous; leaves linear to linear-lanceolate
|[[Commelina dianthifolia|Commelina dianthifolia]]
|-id=key-0-2
|2
|Annuals or perennials usually with decumbent to scandent stems; leaves narrowly lanceolate to ovate-elliptic.
|[[#key-0-3| > 3]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Spathes generally whitish or pale green toward peduncle with contrasting, dark green veins; proximal petal white or paler than others; capsules 2-locular; seeds rugose pitted-reticulate
|[[Commelina communis|Commelina communis]]
|-id=key-0-3
|3
|Spathes without contrasting veins; proximal petal ± concolorous with others; capsules 3-locular; seeds reticulate or smooth to faintly alveolate.
|[[#key-0-4| > 4]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Spathes not at all to slightly falcate; distal cyme usually vestigial (rarely well developed, 1-flowered); seeds smooth to faintly alveolate
|[[Commelina caroliniana|Commelina caroliniana]]
|-id=key-0-4
|4
|Spathes usually distinctly falcate; distal cyme in larger spathes usually well developed, 1–several-flowered; seeds reticulate
|[[Commelina diffusa|Commelina diffusa]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Flowers apricot- or peach-colored
|[[Commelina gambiae|Commelina gambiae]]
|-id=key-0-5
|5
|Flowers blue (rarely lilac to lavender or white).
|[[#key-0-6| > 6]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Leaf sheaths with auricles at summit; roots stout; proximal petal white, minute; locules all 1-seeded
|[[Commelina erecta|Commelina erecta]]
|-id=key-0-6
|6
|Leaf sheaths not auriculate; roots thin; proximal petal blue to lilac or lavender, conspicuous; some locules usually 2-seeded.
|[[#key-0-7| > 7]]
|-id=key-0-7
|7
|Perennials with erect to ascending stems; leaf sheaths with red hairs at summit; leaf blades 6–20 cm; spathes 1.5–3.5 cm; subterranean, cleistogamous flowers absent
|[[Commelina virginica|Commelina virginica]]
|-id=key-0-7
|7
|Annuals or perennials with ascending to decumbent, repent or scrambling stems; sheaths with or without red hairs at summit; leaf blades 1.5–7(–9) cm; spathes 0.5–2 cm; subterranean, cleistogamous flowers sometimes present.
|[[#key-0-8| > 8]]
|-id=key-0-8
|8
|Leaf blades ovate to lanceolate-elliptic; sheaths often with red hairs at summit; lateral stamen filaments not winged; capsules usually 5-seeded
|[[Commelina benghalensis|Commelina benghalensis]]
|-id=key-0-8
|8
|Leaf blades oblong to lanceolate-oblong or oblong-elliptic; sheaths without red hairs; lateral stamen filaments winged; capsules usually 1-seeded
|[[Commelina forskaolii|Commelina forskaolii]]
|}
</div></div><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Commelina
|authority=Plumier ex Linnaeus
|rank=genus
|parent rank=family
|synonyms=
|basionyms=
|family=Commelinaceae
|distribution=Almost worldwide;mainly tropical
|reference=brashier1966a;faden1993a;pennell1916a
|publication title=Sp. Pl.
|publication year=1754
|special status=
|source xml=https://bibilujan@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-fine-grained-xml.git/src/62857cf6bca5c4637d27b113da92d27dbf9962f4/V22/V22_550.xml
|genus=Commelina
|antherode shape=4-6-lobed
|blade architecture=petiolate;sessile
|bracteole presence=absent
|capsule architecture=2-3-valved
|capsule architecture or structure in adjective form=2-3-locular
|cyme quantity=1;2
|distal petal coloration=blue
|distal petal quantity=2;2
|distal petal shape=clawed
|distal stamen atypical quantity=2;3
|distal stamen quantity=3
|distal stamen size=staminodial
|embryotegum position=lateral
|filament pubescence=glabrous
|flower architecture=staminate;staminate
|flower architecture or shape=symmetric
|flower quantity=1;several
|flower reproduction=bisexual
|hilum arrangement or course or shape=linear
|inflorescence position=leaf-opposed
|inflorescence position or structure subtype=terminal
|leaf arrangement=arranged;2-ranked
|leaf pubescence=not glaucous
|margin fusion=connate;distinct
|ovary architecture or structure in adjective form=2-3-locular
|ovule architecture or arrangement=1-seriate
|ovule quantity=1;2
|pedicel development=developed
|petal fusion=distinct
|proximal petal size=subequal;smaller
|proximal sepal fusion=connate
|proximal sepal quantity=2
|proximal sepal size=unequal
|proximal stamen quantity=3
|proximal stamen reproduction=fertile
|root architecture=tuberous
|root width=thin
|seed quantity=1;2
|sepal fusion=distinct
|stamen atypical quantity=5;6
|stamen quantity=6
|whole_organism duration=annual;perennial
|whole_organism growth form=herb
|x chromosome quantity=11;15
}}<!--

-->[[Category:Treatment]][[Category:Commelinaceae]]