Commelina diffusa
| Commelina diffusa | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants |
| Class: | Liliopsida – Monocotyledons |
| Order: | Commelinales |
| Family: | Commelinaceae |
| Genus: | Commelina |
| Species: | C. diffusa |
| Binomial name | |
| Commelina diffusa Burm. f. | |
| |
| Natural range of Commelina diffusa from USDA NRCS Plants Database. | |
Common name: climbing dayflower
Contents
Description
A description of Commelina diffusa is provided in The Flora of North America
C. diffusa is an annual species in temperate climates and is either an annual or perennial in tropical and subtropical climates [1]. Species of the genera Commelina can be separated from those of Tradescantia by having unequal petals, one is distinctly smaller (Wunderlin and Hansen 2011). Leaves are alternately arranged and develop along the nodes[2]. Flowers are actinomorphic, blue, and have three fertile stamens and two staminoids[1].
Distribution
Distribution is not limited to the Southeastern United States, it can also be found in Africa, Asia, South America, Australia, and South Asian islands (Holm et al. 1977).
Ecology
Habitat
C. diffusa can be found at loamy lake shores; sandy loam of floodplains; seasonally flooded cypress domes; annually burned pine savannas; loamy sand in mesic flatwoods; wet margins of wax myrtle thickets; and pine-oak-beech-magnolia forests (FSU Herbarium). It has occurred in disturbed areas such as the banks of artificially filled lakes, lawns, roadsides, orange tree groves, unpaved parking lots, levees and ditches. It has been observed growing in loamy sand, sandy loam, oyster shell soil, and alluvial soils (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Alternanthera, Polygonum, Carex, Hypoxis curtissii, Paspalum, Panicum, Alternanthera, Ludwigia, Murdannia, and Hydrolea (FSU Herbarium).
Phenology
Flowers are actinomorphic, blue, and have three fertile stamen and two staminoids[1]. Blooms April through October and fruits April through September (FSU Herbarium).
Seed dispersal
The fruit is a five seeded capsule with one seed indehiscent seed in the dorsal locule and two dehiscent seeds in the ventral locule (Faden 1993).
Seed bank and germination
Fire ecology
Following a fire, adults will resprout basally [3].
Pollination
The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Commelina diffusa at Archbold Biological Station (Deyrup 2015):
Halictidae: Agapostemon splendens, Augochlorella gratiosa, Lasioglossum pectoralis
Use by animals
The larva of the moth, Mouralia tinctoides, has been observed developing on C. diffusa(Landolt 1993).
Diseases and parasites
Larva from Liromyza commelinae infests C. diffusa creating distinct serpentine mines on the upper surface of the leaves (Stegmaier 1966).
Conservation and Management
Stolons can be cut into small pieces and easily regenerate, making it difficult to control. Herbicide has been observed to have a relatively low effect on Commelina[1].
Cultivation and restoration
In the United States, it is a major weed in rice crops and reduces rice grain yields. It is abundant in late July and early August, after the first rice crop has been harvested and when the second crop is watered and fertilize, making it difficult to remove (Roy 1984). It is also a weed in soybean crops [1].
Photo Gallery
References and notes
Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
Faden, Robert B.. “The Misconstrued and Rare Species of Commelina (commelinaceae) in the Eastern United States”. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 80.1 (1993): 208–218.
Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: October 2015. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, D. Burch, Mireya D. Correa, Dianne Hall, Ed Keppner, Lisa Keppner, R. Komarek, Horace Loftin, R.L. Lazor, Karen MacClendon, Travis MacClendon, R.A. Norris, Kim Ponzio, Dana Sakole, Cecil R. Slaughter, Edwin L. Tyson. States and Counties: Florida: Bay, Brevard, Calhoun, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Leon, Madison, Nassau, Polk, Santa Rosa, St. Johns, Volusia, Wakulla. Georgia: Grady. Country: Panama. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
Holm LG, Plucknett DL, Pancho JV, Herberger JP, 1977. The World's Worst Weeds. Distribution and Biology. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: University Press of Hawaii.
Landolt, Peter J.. “Suitability of Six Species of Commelinaceae as Larval Hosts of Mouralia Tinctoides (lepidoptera: Noctuidae, Plusiinae)”. The Florida Entomologist 76.4 (1993): 572–576.
Roy J. Smith, Jr.. “Competition of Spreading Dayflower (commelina Diffusa) with Rice (oryza Sativa)”. Weed Science 32.1 (1984): 116–119.
Stegmaier, Carl E.. “Liriomyza Commelinae, a Leaf Miner on Commelina in Florida (diptera, Agromyzidae)”. The Florida Entomologist 49.3 (1966): 147–149.
Wunderlin, Richard P. and Bruce F. Hansen. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida. Second edition. 2003. University Press of Florida: Gainesville/Tallahassee/Tampa/Boca Raton/Pensacola/Orlando/Miami/Jacksonville/Ft. Myers. 412-13. Print.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 [Invasive species compendium]Accessed: December 9, 2015
- ↑ [Go botany] Accessed: December 9, 2015
- ↑ [Fire Responses of Commelina diffusa]Accessed: December 9, 2015
