Commelina benghalensis L.

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🗒 Synonyms

synonym	Commelina acuminata R.Br., nom. nud.
synonym	Commelina benghalensis subsp. hirsuta (C.B.Clarke) J.K.Morton
synonym	Commelina canescens Vahl
synonym	Commelina cavaleriei H.Lév.
synonym	Commelina cucullata L.
synonym	Commelina delicatula Schltdl.
synonym	Commelina hirsuta R.Br., nom. nud.
synonym	Commelina kilimandscharica K.Schum.
synonym	Commelina mollis Jacq.
synonym	Commelina nervosa Burm.f.
synonym	Commelina obscura K.Schum.
synonym	Commelina poligama Fern.-Vill.
synonym	Commelina procurrens Schltdl.
synonym	Commelina prostrata Regel, sensu auct.
synonym	Commelina pyrrhoblepharis Hassk.
synonym	Commelina pyrrhoblepharis var. glabra Pic.Serm.
synonym	Commelina radiciflora R.Br. ex C.B.Clarke
synonym	Commelina rhizocarpa Afzel. ex C.B.Clarke
synonym	Commelina rufociliata C.B.Clarke
synonym	Commelina saltiana Steud., nom. inval.
synonym	Commelina senegalensis Ten.
synonym	Commelina turbinata Vahl
synonym	Commelina uncata C.B.Clarke
synonym	Commelina villosiuscula Sol. ex C.B.Clarke

🗒 Common Names

Assamese	Kona-shimolu Kona Simolu
English	Dayflower Garden Commelina
Hin	Kanchara
Hindi	Kanchara Kankawa काना Kana
Irula	Kayinai
Malayalam	Adukkavettila Kanavazhai Vazhaplaachi Vuzhaipadathi
Manipuri	ৱাঙদেন খোইবী Wangden Khoibi
Marathi	केना Kena
Other	Benghal Dayflower English–Day Flower Kannae Kanner Tropical Spiderwort Wandering Jew Whiskered Commelina
Tamil	Aduthinnathalai Kanavazhai Kanavazhar

📚 Overview

Overview

Summary

Herb

Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.

Attributions	Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Brief

Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern ver 3.1 Year Assessed: 2010 Assessor/s: Rehel, S. Reviewer/s: Narasimhan, D., Ravikumar, K. & Juffe Bignoli, D. Contributors: Molur, S. Justification: Commelina benghalensis is a native species to tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa. The plant has also been widely introduced in many countries. The species is common and locally abundant, and the plant is categorized as Least Concern. Conservation Actions: Conservation of the species has not been reported.

IUCN and ZOO 2011

Attributions	IUCN and ZOO 2011
Contributors	Sanjay Molur
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Flowering class: Monocot Habit: Herb

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Diagnostic

Diagnostic Keys

Description

Diffuse herbs, rooting at lower nodes; rootstock with cleistogamous flowers. Leaves 3-5 x 2-3.5 cm, ovate or elliptic-ovate, base rounded or subtruncate, apex obtuse or acute, pubescent, margin ciliate; petiole to 8 mm long; sheath to 1.5 cm long, apex with rufous hairs. Spathe c. 1.5 cm across, funnel-shaped, truncate at apex, pubescent. Sepals subequal, c. 2.5 mm long; outer ones linear; inner ones orbicular. Petals blue, larger ones c. 4 x 4.5 mm, broadly ovate. Stamens 3; staminodes 2. Ovary to 1mm long. Capsule to 5 mm long, ellipsoid, 3-celled. Seeds 5, pitted.

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Habit: A small, prostrate, spreading herb, upto 70cm.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

SubSpecies Varieties Races

Diagnostic Keys

Description

No Data

📚 Nomenclature and Classification

Nomenclature and Classification

Taxon Record Name

References

Type Information

No Data

📚 Natural History

Natural History

Life Cycle

Cyclicity

Flowering & fruiting through out the year.

Wild edible plants of Assam. by Sri Brahmananda Patiri and Sri Ananta Borah, published by the Director Forest Communication, Forest Department, Assam. Curated for upload by Pranjal Mahananda.

Attributions	Wild edible plants of Assam. by Sri Brahmananda Patiri and Sri Ananta Borah, published by the Director Forest Communication, Forest Department, Assam. Curated for upload by Pranjal Mahananda.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Flowering and fruiting: July-November

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Growth Form

Herb

A small herb, most commonly found in shaddy & damp places, succulant, perennial. Leaves alternate, entire with parallel veins, smooth or hairy . Flowers bluish white in spathe like boat shaped bract. Small clistogamic flowers are borne on subterranean branches of rhizome. Fruit is capsule.

Wild edible plants of Assam. by Sri Brahmananda Patiri and Sri Ananta Borah, published by the Director Forest Communication, Forest Department, Assam. Curated for upload by Pranjal Mahananda.

Attributions	Wild edible plants of Assam. by Sri Brahmananda Patiri and Sri Ananta Borah, published by the Director Forest Communication, Forest Department, Assam. Curated for upload by Pranjal Mahananda.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Flower

In bifid cymes; blue. Flowering throughout the year.

Fruit

An ellipsoid capsule, 3-celled; seeds 5, pitted. Fruiting throughout the year.

Field tips

Leaves sheathing at base, asymmetrical, ciliate along margin.

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate-spiral

Leaf Type

Simple

Leaf Shape

Ovate or oblong-ovate

Leaf Apex

Acute-obtuse

Leaf Base

Subtruncate

Leaf Margin

Entire-ciliate

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Pollinators

Bees

Miscellaneous Details

Leafless underground suckers bear scapes of self pollinating white flowers which never open, but bear better seeds than those from the normal blue flowers. Used to indicate presence of sulphur dioxide as air pollutant.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

No Data

📚 Habitat and Distribution

Habitat and Distribution

General Habitat

Habitat

Terrestrial

Freshwater

Wastelands, also in deciduous forests

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Very widely distributed in scrub jungles, wayside puddles. Weed of arable lands, marshy. Plains from the coast to 1100m. India, Nepal, Sri Lanka.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Habitat and Ecology: Commelina benghalensis is a perennial or sometimes annual. A wide spread weed often found in ditches, wet fields and places that are subjected to flooding, although it is not confined to wetlands. It can be found from near sea level up to 2300 m. Systems: Terrestrial; Freshwater List of Habitats: 15, 15.8, 15.9

IUCN and ZOO 2011

Attributions	IUCN and ZOO 2011
Contributors	Sanjay Molur
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Wet places

Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.

Attributions	Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Distribution

Description

Range Description: Commelina benghalensis is a native species to tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa, including Bhutan, India, Nepal, China, Japan and Pakistan. The plant has also been widely introduced beyond its range to the southern eastern United States, Hawaii, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Martinique and Barbados. In India it is distributed in Andamans, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Countries - Native: Barbados; Benin; Bhutan; Botswana; Cameroon; China; Congo; Côte d'Ivoire; Cuba; Djibouti; Ethiopia; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; India (Andaman Is., Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal); Jamaica; Japan; Kenya; Lesotho; Malawi; Martinique; Namibia; Nepal; Nigeria; Pakistan; Puerto Rico; Rwanda; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Africa (Eastern Cape Province, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape Province, North-West Province, Western Cape Province); Swaziland; Tanzania, United Republic of; Togo; Uganda; United States (Florida, Hawaiian Is., Louisiana); Zambia

IUCN and ZOO 2011

Attributions	IUCN and ZOO 2011
Contributors	Sanjay Molur
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Global Distribution

India: Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharastra, Madhya Pradesh

Indian Distribution

Kamrup, Darrang, Goalpara

Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.

Attributions	Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Global Distribution

Africa, India, China, Japan and Malesia

Indian distribution

State - Kerala, District/s: All Districts

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Found along streams, thickets, scrub jungles, arable lands from plains to 500m. Common. Africa, India to China, Japan and Malesia.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Endemic Distribution

No Data

📚 Occurrence

Occurrence

No Data

📚 Demography and Conservation

Demography and Conservation

Population Biology

Trends

Population: The species is common and locally abundant. Data regarding the population is not available. Population Trend: Stable

IUCN and ZOO 2011

Attributions	IUCN and ZOO 2011
Contributors	Sanjay Molur
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Risk Statement

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List Category

Least Concern

IUCN and ZOO 2011

Attributions	IUCN and ZOO 2011
Contributors	Sanjay Molur
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Threats

Major Threat (s): There are no major threats known to this species, and it grows abundantly in a wide range of habitats

IUCN and ZOO 2011

Attributions	IUCN and ZOO 2011
Contributors	Sanjay Molur
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Legislation

Protection Legal Status

No Data

📚 Uses and Management

Uses and Management

Uses

System of Medicines Used In

Ayurveda

Folk medicine

Siddha

Traditional chinese medicine

Young leaves and young shoots are eaten as vegetable during scarcity or coated with rice flour as cultets.

Wild edible plants of Assam. by Sri Brahmananda Patiri and Sri Ananta Borah, published by the Director Forest Communication, Forest Department, Assam. Curated for upload by Pranjal Mahananda.

Attributions	Wild edible plants of Assam. by Sri Brahmananda Patiri and Sri Ananta Borah, published by the Director Forest Communication, Forest Department, Assam. Curated for upload by Pranjal Mahananda.
Contributors	admin
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Medicinal

Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

Attributions	Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi
Contributors	D. Narasimhan
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

The young leaves used as a vegetable and a paste derived from the plant is used to treat burns.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

System Of Medicines Used In

Ayurveda, Folk medicine, Siddha, Traditional chinese medicine

FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants: http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=614

Attributions	FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants: http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=614
Contributors	FRLHT-ENVIS
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Folklore

Indigenous Information: Leaves are cooked and eaten. The juice from the stem used to remove the dust from the eyes. Good fodder for cattles.

Keystone Foundation

Attributions	Keystone Foundation
Contributors	Keystone Foundation
Status	UNDER_CREATION
Licenses	CC_BY
References

Management

No Data

📚 Information Listing

Information Listing

Species Resources

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN)

Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)

References

Commelina benghalensis L., Sp. Pl. 41. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 370. 1892; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1539(1075). 1931; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 419. 1984; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 481. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 405. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 820. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 516. 1990; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 395. 1995; Sasidh. et al., Bot. Stud. Med. Pl. Kerala 19. 1996; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 473. 1996; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 297. 1982; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 734. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 460. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 356. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 511. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 702. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 886. 2009.
Cook, C.D.K. 1996. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of India. Oxford University Press, Oxford.; IUCN. 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2011.1). Available at:http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 16 June 2011).
Rehel, S. 2010. Commelina benghalensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>.; Downloaded on 19 October 2011.

http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes/threats-classification-scheme
Rehel, S. 2010. Commelina benghalensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>.; Downloaded on 19 October 2011.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes/conservation-actions-classification-scheme-ver2
http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes/habitats-classification-scheme-ver3
Citation: Rehel, S. 2010. Commelina benghalensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>.; Downloaded on 19 October 2011.
Cook, C.D.K. 1996. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of India. Oxford University Press, Oxford.; IUCN. 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2011.1). Available at:http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 16 June 2011).

D K Ved, Suma Tagadur Sureshchandra, Vijay Barve, Vijay Srinivas, Sathya Sangeetha, K. Ravikumar, Kartikeyan R., Vaibhav Kulkarni, Ajith S. Kumar, S.N. Venugopal, B. S. Somashekhar, M.V. Sumanth, Noorunissa Begum, Sugandhi Rani, Surekha K.V., and Nikhil Desale. 2016. (envis.frlht.org / frlhtenvis.nic.in). FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants, Bengaluru. http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=614

Information Listing > References

Commelina benghalensis L., Sp. Pl. 41. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 370. 1892; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1539(1075). 1931; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 419. 1984; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 481. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 405. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 820. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 516. 1990; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 395. 1995; Sasidh. et al., Bot. Stud. Med. Pl. Kerala 19. 1996; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 473. 1996; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 297. 1982; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 734. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 460. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 356. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 511. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 702. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 886. 2009.
Cook, C.D.K. 1996. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of India. Oxford University Press, Oxford.; IUCN. 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2011.1). Available at:http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 16 June 2011).
Rehel, S. 2010. Commelina benghalensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>.; Downloaded on 19 October 2011.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes/threats-classification-scheme
Rehel, S. 2010. Commelina benghalensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>.; Downloaded on 19 October 2011.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes/conservation-actions-classification-scheme-ver2
http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes/habitats-classification-scheme-ver3
Citation: Rehel, S. 2010. Commelina benghalensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>.; Downloaded on 19 October 2011.
Cook, C.D.K. 1996. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of India. Oxford University Press, Oxford.; IUCN. 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2011.1). Available at:http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 16 June 2011).
D K Ved, Suma Tagadur Sureshchandra, Vijay Barve, Vijay Srinivas, Sathya Sangeetha, K. Ravikumar, Kartikeyan R., Vaibhav Kulkarni, Ajith S. Kumar, S.N. Venugopal, B. S. Somashekhar, M.V. Sumanth, Noorunissa Begum, Sugandhi Rani, Surekha K.V., and Nikhil Desale. 2016. (envis.frlht.org / frlhtenvis.nic.in). FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants, Bengaluru. http://envis.frlht.org/plant_details.php?disp_id=614

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cepfrit

Images

No Data

📚 Meta data

Meta data

No Data

🐾 Taxonomy

Root	Root
Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Tracheophyta
Class	Liliopsida
Order	Commelinales
Family	Commelinaceae
Genus	Commelina
Species	Commelina benghalensis L.

📊 Temporal Distribution

📷 Related Observations

👥 Groups

India Biodiversity Portal

The Western Ghats

PlantsIndia

Northeast India Biodiversity

Medicinal Plants

Assam Biodiversity Portal