242 COMMELINACEAE 



olate, 4-12 cm. long, acute or acuminate at the apex, acute or rounded at the base ; sheaths 

 whitish, with green nerves, usually erose-ciliate : peduncles 1-3 cm. long : spathes 2-4 cm. 

 long, acute, about twice as long as broad, not united at the base : capsules 2-celled, 6-7 mm. 

 long, apiculate : seeds 4 in each capsule, 3-3.5 mm. long, tuberculate and pitted. 

 In waste places, New York to Pennsylvania, Georgia and Kentucky. Summer. 



3. Commelina Nashii SmalL Stems from cord-like spreading roots, erect or 

 branched at the base ; branches ascending or spreading, 2-4 dm. long, slender, glabrous 

 except parts of the upper internodes : leaf-blades linear or nearly so, 4-8 cm. long, 

 acuminate, somewhat crisped, glabrous above the base ; sheaths 1 cm. long or shorter, 

 ribbed, ciliate : spathes. 1 cm. long or shorter, acute, closed at the truncate base, curved on 

 the dorsal side, sharp-pointed : capsule about 4 mm. long, prominently stria te : seeds 2.5-3 

 mm. long, smooth and glabrous. 



lu sandy soil, North Carolina to Florida and Mississippi. Summer and fall. 



4. Commelina Swingleana Nash. Stems erect or ascending from a cluster of de- 

 scending, narrowly fusiform roots, 1-4 dm. long, simple or branched at the base and some- 

 times above, internodes or parts below the nodes pubescent or scabrous : leaf-blades linear 

 to narrowly linear-lanceolate, 11-12 cm. long, attenuate, glabrous or ciliate near the base ; 

 sheaths somewhat inflated, 8-12 mm. long : peduncles 5-8 mm. long : spathes about 2 cm. 

 long, acuminate, somewhat falcate, closed at the base : corolla showy : larger petals deep 

 blue, the blades reniform, about 12 mm. long, 17 mm. broad, the claws 3-4 mm. long : 

 capsules subglobose, 4-5 mm. long, glabrous : seeds 3 in each capsule, 3-3.5 mm. long, 

 smooth, dark brown. 



In pine lands, Florida. Spring to fall. 



5. Commelina angustifolia Michx. Stems erect or diffusely branched at the base, 

 from cord-like roots, 2-8 dm. long, internodes, at least the lower ones, glabrous : leaf-blades 

 linear or nearly so, sometimes narrowly linear, 3-12 cm. long, attenuate, glabrous beyond 

 the ciliate bases ; sheaths 1-2 cm. long, green or purplish, ribbed : spathes 2-2.5 cm. long, 

 acute or acuminate, pubescent mainly near the base : capsules 3-4 mm. long, about as broad : 

 seeds about 3 mm. long, puberulent, otherwise smooth. 



In sandy soil, North Carolina to Florida. Spring. 



6. Commelina crispa Wooton. Stems finely villous, or glabrate below, branched 

 at the base ; main branches ascending or spreading, 2-9 dm. long, usually branclu d : 

 leaf-blades lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 3-8 cm. long, acuminate, crisped, slightly con- 

 tracted at the base ; sheaths thin, pale, 12-15 mm. long, ciliate with a few bristle-like hairs : 

 spathes 2-2.5 cm. long, acute or acuminate, pubescent throughout, united at the base : sepals 

 orbicular-elliptic : petals various, upper 2 bright blue, with slender claws 3-4 mm. long, 

 and broadly reniform blades 1-1.5 cm. broad, delicately veined ; third petal white, lance- 

 olate, 2-3 mm. long : capsules 4-5 mm. long, 3-celled, 2 cavities dehiscent, the third inde- 

 hiscent : seeds smooth. 



In sandy and rocky soil, Nebraska to Texas and New Mexico. Summer and fall. 



7. Commelina Vir,inica L. Stems branched ; branches spreading or decumbent, 2-9 

 dm. long, pubescent, sometimes zigzag : leaf-blades lanceolate, often narrowly so, 3-10 cm. 

 long, mostly acuminate, often quite narrow at the base ; sheaths pale, 1.5-2 cm. long, often 

 fringed at the top: peduncles 5-10 mm. long: spathes 2-3 cm. long, acuminate, mainly 

 longer than broad: closed at the base: capsules 4-5 mm. long, glabrous, 2-valved, the 

 dorsal cavity indehiscent : seeds 3-3.5 mm. long. 



In moist or dry sandy soil, New York to Nebraska, Florida and Texas. Summer to fall. 



8. Commelina er6cta L. Stems simple and erect or diffusely branched at the base, 

 1-8 dm. long, pubescent at least near the nodes : leaf-blades linear to linear-lanceolate, 6-12 

 cm. long, acute or attenuate, more or less pubescent, sometimes hirsute ; sheaths somewhat 

 hirsute and ciliate : peduncles 5-12 'mm. long : spathes 2-2.5 cm. long, short-acuminate, 

 nerved, closed at the base : capsules 3-valved, all cavities dehiscent, 3-4 mm. long, about as 

 broad : seeds 3 in each capsule, 3 mm. long, puberulent. 



In rocky soil or banks, Pennsylvania to Florida and Texas and tropical America. Summer and 

 fall. 



9. Commelina saxicola Small. Stems often branched at the base : branches spread- 

 ing or decumbent, 2-8 dm. long, simple or again branched, pubescent below the nodes : 

 leaves remote ; blades lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 4-10 cm. long, acute, more or less 

 pubescent, pale beneath : sheaths 1-15 cm. long, pubescent, with a collar-like ciliate dilation 

 at the top : pedicels 5-8 mm. long, minutely pubescent : spathes about 1 .5 cm. long, nearly 

 or quite as broad, finely pubescent, merely acute, nearly straight on the back : petals bright 

 blue; blades 2 cm. broad, about 1.5cm. high, crisped, notched: capsules 4-5 mm. long: 

 seeds 3 mm. in diameter. 



On rocks, especially granite, North Carolina and Georgia. Summer. 



