Commelina diffusa var. diffusa

WeedyIntroduced
Synonyms: Commelina longicaulis
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 22.

Herbs, annual (sometimes perennial in south), diffusely spreading, rooting at nodes. Leaves: blade lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, lanceolate-elliptic or ovate, 1.5–5 (–8) cm, 0.5–1.8 (–2.2) cm, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences: proximal cyme 2–4-flowered, distal cyme of larger spathes usually exserted, 1–several-flowered; spathes solitary, pedunculate, usually distinctly falcate, (0.5–) 0.8–2.5 (–3.7) × 0.4–1.2 (–1.4) cm, apex usually acuminate; peduncles 0.5–2 (–2.9) cm. Flowers blue (rarely lavender); medial stamen anther connective with broad, transverse band of violet. Capsules 3-locular, 2-valved, 4–6.3 × (2.1–) 3–4 mm. Seeds 5, brown, 2–2.8 (–3.2) mm × 1.4–1.8 mm, deeply reticulate. 2n = 30.


Phenology: Flowering spring–fall.
Habitat: Disturbed situations (lawns, gardens, and cultivated ground), moist places, and woods

Distribution

V22 567-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; Ala., Ark., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.C., Ohio, Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., pantropical

Discussion

The report of this plant from Minnesota (H. A. Gleason and A. Cronquist 1991) is probably based on wrongly determined material.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
nearly +  and glabrous +
acuminate +  and acute +
Robert B. Faden +
Burman f. +
petiolate +  and sessile +
1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br /> (2.2 cm22 mm <br />0.022 m <br />) +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (14 cm140 mm <br />0.14 m <br />) +
lanceolate;lanceolate-oblong lanceolate-elliptic or ovate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
succulent +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (3.3 cm33 mm <br />0.033 m <br />) +
0.21 cm2.1 mm <br />0.0021 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.63 cm6.3 mm <br />0.0063 m <br />) +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.63 cm6.3 mm <br />0.0063 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
1-several-flowered +
Ala. +, Ark. +, D.C. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Kans. +, Ky. +, La. +, Md. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Va. +  and pantropical +
Disturbed situations (lawns, gardens, and cultivated ground), moist places, and woods +
thyrsiform +  and cymose +
arranged +  and 2-ranked +
cauline +  and basal +
not glaucous +
ciliolate +, ciliate +, scabrous +  and glabrous +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (2.9 cm29 mm <br />0.029 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
distinct +
unequal +
Flowering spring–fall. +
Flora Indica. nec non Prodromus Florae Capensis +
0.28 cm2.8 mm <br />0.0028 m <br /> (0.32 cm3.2 mm <br />0.0032 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.28 cm2.8 mm <br />0.0028 m <br />) +
0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
distinct +
subequal +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (3.7 cm37 mm <br />0.037 m <br />) +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
bright green +
0.8cm;2.5cm +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
Weedy +  and Introduced +
staminodial +
some +  and fertile +
decumbent +  and scandent +
not +  and enlarged +
slender +
Commelina longicaulis +
Commelina diffusa var. diffusa +
Commelina diffusa +
variety +