Commelina elliptica
Kunth
Commelinaceae
This species is closely related to Commelina tuberosa[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
], and considered to be no more than a synonym of that species by some authorities.
Commelina alpestris Standl. & Steyerm.
Commelina hirsuta Kunth
Commelina humilis Klotzsch ex C.B.Clarke
Commelina karwinskiana Kunth
Commelina karwinskii Mart. ex Kunth
Commelina orchioides Booth ex Lindl.
Commelina scapigera Kunth
Commelina variabilis Schltdl.
Common Name:
General Information
Commelina elliptica is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial plant with a tuberous rootstock. It grows about 10cm tall.
The edile tubers are sometimes gathered from the wild for local use.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
South-western N. America - mountains of Mexico and south to Peru and Bolivia.
Habitat
Not known
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.10 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a light well-drained loam with added leafmold[
42- Title
- Hardy Bulbs.; Including Half-hardy Bulbs and Tuberous and Fiberous-rooted Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grey. C. H.
- Publisher
- Williams & Norgate.
- Year
- 1938
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Rather dated now, but an immense work on bulbs for temperate zones and how to grow them. Three large volumes.
]. Succeeds in an ordinary, reasonably moist soil in a sunny position with some shelter[
164- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bird. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
].
Edible Uses
The following use is for the closely related C. tuberosa, but is also probably appropriate for this species[
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Tubers - cooked. Rich in starch[
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
], but with a fairly bland flavour.
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - it usually germinates in 4 - 5 weeks at 20°c[
164- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bird. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out when they are large enough.
Division when dormant. Make sure that each portion has at least one growing bud[
111- Title
- Popular Hardy Perennials.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Sanders. T. W.
- Publisher
- Collingridge
- Year
- 1926
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A fairly wide range of perennial plants that can be grown in Britain and how to grow them.
,
K- Title
- Plants for a Future
- Author
- Ken Fern
- Description
- Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Cuttings during the growing season. Very easy[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
