Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Commelinales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Commelina benghalensis
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Tropical Spiderwort from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
"This annual species can be recognized by: its funnelform spathes that are often clustered; relatively broad leaves that frequently have red hairs at the summit of the sheath; and cleistogamous flowers that are borne at the base of the plant and are usually subterranean (in addition to normal, aerial, chasmogamous flowers)" (Faden, 1993), per Weakley's Flora (2022)
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Commelina benghalensis
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Commelina benghalensis
COMMON NAME:
Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Byron Rhodes, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org bug_1336001
Month Unknown
Usually has subterranean cleistogamous flowers as well as chasmogamous flowers, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
)
Byron Rhodes, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org bug_1336004
Month Unknown Thomas County GA
The underground flowers appear as swollen nodes, per www.invasive.org.
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Herb Pilcher, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org bug_1381001
Month Unknown
Benghal dayflower is tolerant of many herbicides, including glyphosate, per Prevention, Early Detection, and Eradication of Benghal Dayflower in Field Nurseries.
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Theodore Webster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org bug_1381002
Month Unknown
Spathes funnelform, often clustered, per Weakley's Flora (2015).
)
Herb Pilcher, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org bug_1381003
Month Unknown
Leaf sheaths ciliate w coarse reddish-brown hairs, the sheath not auriculate, per Weakley's Flora (2015).
)
Theodore Webster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org bug_5309043
Month Unknown
)
Theodore Webster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org bug_5309046
Month Unknown
Field of Bengal dayflower with peanut in lower right corner, per www.invasive.org.
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Theodore Webster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org bug_5309048
Month Unknown
Close up of Bengal dayflower in cotton, per www.invasive.org.
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Theodore Webster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org bug_5309048b
Month Unknown
)
Julia Scher, Federal Noxious Weeds Disseminules, USDA APHIS ITP, Bugwood.org bug_5376376
Month Unknown
)
Eric Prostko, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org bug_5386010
Month Unknown GA
Leaf margin and upper surface pubescent, per Weakley's Flora (2015).
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Eric Prostko, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org bug_5386011
Month Unknown
)
Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org bug_5403011
Month Unknown GA
)
Sekh Sayantan, Burdwan Eco Garden, Bugwood.org bug_5482655
Month Unknown India
Leaf blades broadly elliptic-ovate, 2-9cm long, per Weakley's Flora (2015).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Commelina benghalensis
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Commelina benghalensis
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Commelina benghalensis
355
Forb
Annual/Perennial
Habitat: Fields, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: tropical southern Asia
Common in GA Coastal Plain, rare in Carolinas
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- SC Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2014
- SC List of Regulated Pest Plant Species, 2017
- USDA Federal Noxious Weeds, 091820
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Blue
Bilaterally symmetrical
3-merous
3 sepals, the lateral two partly united
3 petals, the upper two large and the lowest smaller
3 fertile stamens, 3 sterile stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual & staminate
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".