Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Commelinales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Commelina diffusa
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Spreading Dayflower from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Commelina diffusa var. diffusa
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 038-01-004:
Commelina diffusa
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
COMMON NAME:
Spreading Dayflower, Creeping Dayflower
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Jeff Ausmus jma_comdif6
April Osceola County FL
Stem decumbent or repent, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
)
Jeff Ausmus jma_comdif5
July Monroe County MI
In cultivation
)
Gill Newberry gn08_c_diffusa_fl_closeup
August
Two large upper petals and a very small blue lower petal, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains.
)
Gill Newberry gn08_c_diffusa_fls
August
)
Gill Newberry gn08_c_diffusa_inf
August
Spathes are sickle-shaped (falcate) and their margins are not fused, per Wildflowers of Tennessee.
)
Jeff Ausmus jma_comdif
September Monroe County MI
In cultivation
)
Jeff Ausmus jma_comdif2
September Monroe County MI
In cultivation
Leaf blades 1.5-5cm long × 0.5-1cm wide (rarely to 8 × 2.2cm), per Weakley's Flora (2020).
)
Jeff Ausmus jma_comdif4
October Monroe County MI
In cultivation
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Commelina diffusa
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Commelina diffusa var. diffusa
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 038-01-004:
Commelina diffusa
FAMILY
Commelinaceae
357
Forb
Annual
Non-native: Old World
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Uncommon
Look for it on roadsides, in fields, disturbed ground, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Blue
Bisexual
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
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States p158
- Wildflowers of Tennessee p342
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians p394
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains p005
- Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses p010