Home | > | List of families | > | Commelinaceae | > | Commelina | > | africana |
Synonyms: | |
Common names: | Gezi (Shona) Goche (Shona) Goshe (Shona) Wandering jew (English) Yellow commelina (English) Zheki (Shona) |
Frequency: | Common |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Spreading, prostrate perennial herb. A very variable species, many varieties have been described at times. Flowers pale to bright yellow, borne from a boat-shaped bract, 1-3 at the time, each flower only lasting through the morning before disintegrating. |
Notes: | The young leaves are cooked as vegetables. The roots are used to treat a variety of pains and ailments. See C. welwitschii for comparison. |
Derivation of specific name: | africana: African |
Habitat: | Widespread in woodland, grassland and disturbed places. |
Altitude range: (metres) | |
Flowering time: | Nov - Apr |
Worldwide distribution: | |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Monday 21 January 2019 |
Literature: |
Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 242 - 243. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 294. under various subtaxa Chapano, C., Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 9. As Commelina africana africana, C. africana krebsiana and C. africana lancispatha Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 231. as Commelina africana barberae (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 154. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 86. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 117. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 70. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 82. As var. africana and var. krebsiana |
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