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Useful Tropical Plants

Commelina diffusa

Burm.f.

Commelinaceae

+ Synonyms

Commelina agraria Kunth

Commelina aquatica J.K.Morton

Commelina caespitosa Roxb.

Commelina cajennensis Kunth

Commelina canariensis Sm.

Commelina cayennensis Rich.

Commelina communis Engelm. ex Kunth

Commelina communis Walter

Commelina formosa Graham

Commelina gigas Small

Commelina glabra G.Mey.

Commelina gracilis Ruiz & Pav.

Commelina longicaulis Jacq.

Commelina nudiflora agraria (Kunth) C.B.Clarke

Commelina nudiflora glabrata (G.Mey.) C.B.Clarke

Commelina nudiflora werneana (Hassk.) C.B.Clarke

Commelina obtusifolia Vahl

Commelina ochreata Schauer

Commelina pacifica Vahl

Commelina pilosa Pers.

Commelina pilosula Rich.

Commelina prostrata Kunth

Commelina prostrata Poepp. ex Kunth

Commelina sabatieri C.B.Clarke

Commelina sellowiana Kunth

Commelina werneana Hassk.

Common Name:

Commelina diffusa
Flowering stem
Photograph by: Forest and Kim Starr
Creative Commons License
Commelina diffusa Commelina diffusa Commelina diffusa Commelina diffusa

General Information

Commelina diffusa is an annual, or more commonly perennial, prostrate to ascending, much branched herb that can grow 1 metre or more high[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of dyestuff.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.

Range

Through most of the tropics and subtropics of Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Americas, but absent from Australia.

Habitat

Moist fields, along ditches, on waste land, cultivated ground, lawns and under bamboo, on soils rich in clay or humus; at elevations from sea-level up to 2,000 metres[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitAnnual/Perennial
Height0.80 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked and used as a vegetable[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are diuretic and febrifuge[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. The crushed leaves and stems are used as a remedy for irregular menstruation[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The leaves are widely used for poulticing sores[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. Dirty wounds are poulticed with the mucilage from the stems[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

The juice of the petals can be used as a dye for painting[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Commelina+diffusa>

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