Home | > | List of families | > | Commelinaceae | > | Murdannia | > | simplex |
Synonyms: |
Aneilema sinicum Ker-Gawl. Commelina simplex Vahl |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | Frequent |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Perennial herb, 30-60 cm. Leaves 3-4, mostly basal; lamina up to 20 × 1 cm, linear, glabrous, but ciliate towards the base; basal part sheathing. Inflorescence bearing scars of early flowers. Flowers opening in late afternoon. Petals 3, equal, obovate, c.10 mm. Stamens: 2 upper, fertile and curved downwards, the third sterile; filaments with long purple, beaded hairs. Staminodes 3 with glabrous filaments, the empty anthers yellow and 3-lobed. Capsule oblong-spherical, c.6 mm. Seeds oblong-spherical, 1.5 mm, the transverse ribs tuberculate, reticulate. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | simplex: undivided, entire |
Habitat: | In grassland, woodland, on rocky outcrops, along roadsides and on the edges of marshes, dams and rivers. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 2100 m |
Flowering time: | Dec-Mar |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in tropical Africa, South Africa and Madagascar. Also in tropical Asia but this may still prove to be a separate taxon. |
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: | Friday 1 February 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 297. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 39. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 26. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 122. Faden, R. (2012). Commelinaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 51 - 54. (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 87. Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Pages 37 - 38. (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 108. Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 340 - 341. (Includes a picture). Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 25. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 71. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 82. |
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