OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

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



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.

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

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).

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

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.

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

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.

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

Theodore Webster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org    bug_1381002

Month Unknown        

Spathes funnelform, often clustered, per Weakley's Flora (2015).

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

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).

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

Theodore Webster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org    bug_5309043

Month Unknown        

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

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.

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

Theodore Webster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org    bug_5309048

Month Unknown        

Close up of Bengal dayflower in cotton, per www.invasive.org.

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

Theodore Webster, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org    bug_5309048b

Month Unknown        

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

Julia Scher, Federal Noxious Weeds Disseminules, USDA APHIS ITP, Bugwood.org    bug_5376376

Month Unknown        

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

Eric Prostko, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org    bug_5386010

Month Unknown        GA

Leaf margin and upper surface pubescent, per Weakley's Flora (2015).

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

Eric Prostko, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org    bug_5386011

Month Unknown        

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org    bug_5403011

Month Unknown        GA

image of Commelina benghalensis, Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower

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

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

355

Forb
Annual/Perennial

Habitat: Fields, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: tropical southern Asia

Common in GA Coastal Plain, rare in Carolinas

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)


INVASIVE

This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:

 

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!



 


Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME: