Commenina.] | COMMELINACEZ. 271 
bricate. Pertanth inferior, 6-partite ; the 3 outer segments her- 
baceous, often persistent, the inner petaloid, free or united below 
in a tube, spreading above, marcescent. Stamens 6, adnate to 
the base of the perianth-segments, all perfect or 2 or more reduced 
to staminodes; filaments often bearded with jointed hairs ; 
anthers oblong or globose, often dissimilar. Ovary free 3-or 2- 
celled, style terminal, stigma small ; ovules solitary or few, ortho- 
tropous, on the inner angles of the cells. Fruit a loculicidal capsule 
or indehiscent. Seeds angled, testa smooth or rugose, albumen 
floury ; embryo minute, far from hilum,—Species about 300, 
in tropical and subtropical regions. 
Stamens 2 or 3, perfect, with 1-3 staminodes :— 
Cymes enclosed in spathaceous bracts - 1. CoMMELINA, 
Cymes panicled ; bracts not spathaceous . 2. ANEILEMA, 
Stamens 6, perfect :— 
Petals united below into a tube; cymes 
scorpioid . ; ; , . 3. CYANOTIS. 
Petals free ; cymes Acoma in thyrsoid 
panicles : : : ‘ - 4, FLoscopa. 
1, Commelina, Linn.; Fl. Brit. Ind. vi, 368. 
Herbs, usually slender or creeping below. Leaves ovate-lanceo- 
late, or linear,with lax sheaths, petioled or not. Flowers in usually 
2-fid. cymes emerging one ata time from a terminal complicate or 
funnel-shaped or hooded spathe ; flowers of the upper cyme-branch 
small, deciduous, of the lower fertile ; fruiting pedicel and capsule 
retracted within the spathe. Sepals 3, membranous, the 2 inner 
often connate at the base. Petals 3, longer than the sepals, one 
larger than the others and often clawed. Stamens 3, perfect, with 
2-3 imperfect ; anthers oblong, one usually longer than the others. 
Ovary 3-rarely 2-celled, two of the cells 1 or 2-ovuled, third cell, 
if present, l-ovuled orempty. Fruit a loculicidal capsule hidden in 
the spathe by the decurving of the pedicel after flowering, the 
posticous cell indehiscent or obsolete, or the 2 anticous cells empty 
indehiscent and connate as a ligulate body, from which the posterior 
cell falls away. Seeds ellipsoid or angled ; testa reticulate pitted 
