Commelinaceae FAMILY

Commelina erecta

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Commelina erecta is an erect or decumbent, herbaceous perennial plant with slender stems arising from a cluster of fleshy-fibrous roots[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. It can range in height from 40 - 120 cm tall[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. The plant is occasionally harvested from the wild for its edible root, and is often grown as an ornamental in gardens[ 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. , 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeNorthern S. America from Peru north through Central America to southern and eastern N. America.

HabitatLoamy or sandy soils or rocky slopes in woods and openings[ 43 Title Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition Publication Author Fernald. M. L. Publisher American Book Co.; New York Year 1950 ISBN 0442222505 Description A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America. ]. Moist or wet thickets or forest, often a weed in cultivated ground, at elevations of 1,300 metres or lower, most common at the lower elevations[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ].