Commelina benghalensis L.

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Liliopsida > Commelinales > Commelinaceae > Commelina > C. benghalensis

Description: Diffuse herbs, rooting at lower nodes; rootstock with cleistogamous flowers. Leaves 3-5 x 2-3.5 cm, ovate or elliptic-ovate, base rounded or subtruncate, apex obtuse or acute, pubescent, margin ciliate; petiole to 8 mm long; sheath to 1.5 cm long, apex with rufous hairs. Spathe c. 1.5 cm across, funnel-shaped, truncate at apex, pubescent. Sepals subequal, c. 2.5 mm long; outer ones linear; inner ones orbicular. Petals blue, larger ones c. 4 x 4.5 mm, broadly ovate. Stamens 3; staminodes 2. Ovary to 1mm long. Capsule to 5 mm long, ellipsoid, 3-celled. Seeds 5, pitted.

Flowering and Fruiting: July-November

Uses: Ayurveda, Folk medicine, Siddha, Traditional Chinese medicine. The young leaves used as a vegetable and a paste derived from the plant is used to treat burns. Young leaves and young shoots are eaten as vegetable during scarcity or coated with rice flour as cutlets. Indigenous Information: Leaves are cooked and eaten. The juice from the stem used to remove the dust from the eyes. Good fodder for cattle.

Cultivation: Wild

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org