Commelina ensifolia

Commelina ensifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Monocots
Clade:Commelinids
Order:Commelinales
Family:Commelinaceae
Genus:Commelina
Species: C. ensifolia
Binomial name
Commelina ensifolia

Commelina ensifolia, commonly known as scurvy weed, scurvy grass or wandering Jew,[1][2] is an annual herb native to Australia, India, and Sri Lanka.[3]

The species grows as a prostrate herb, producing roots from the stem at the nodes.[1] Flowers are bright blue with three petals, however one petal is much smaller than the others, often producing an appearance of two petals. The species prefers moist soils, but has a broad natural range, extending from coastal monsoon forest to the arid central deserts where it grows as an ephemeral following favourable rains.[1][2][4] The species has been eaten as a green vegetable by Aboriginals. European settlers also ate the plant to prevent scurvy, giving rise the common name of scurvy grass.[5]

The species is a minor weed in some parts of its natural range.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Commelina ensifolia". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Commelina ensifolia". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  3. ↑ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  4. ↑ John Jessop; Australian Systematic Botany Society (1 January 1981). Flora of Central Australia. Reed.
  5. ↑ A. B. Cribb; Joan Winifred Cribb; Charles McCubbin (1987). Wild Food in Australia. Fontana/Collins. ISBN 978-0-00-636571-6.
  6. ↑ "Commelina ensifolia". Discover Nature at JCU. James Cook University Australia. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.