Commelina africana L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Magorogodo hills, Zomba Community

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near Mucandue stream crossing, eastern Chimanimani Mts.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ridge on Mt Shangani, eastern Chimanimani Mts.

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Synonyms:
Common names:	Wandering jew (English) Yellow commelina (English)
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:
Derivation of specific name:	africana: African
Habitat:	Widespread in woodland, grassland and disturbed places.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Nov - Apr
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in Africa, Yemen and Madagascar. Naturalized in Australia.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,T,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 30 April 2016
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). Linley, K. & Baker, B. (1972). Flowers of the Veld Bundu Series Longman Zimbabwe Page 11. (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. Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Pages 37 - 38. (Includes a picture). 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

Other sources of information about Commelina africana:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Commelina africana
Flora of Caprivi: Commelina africana
Flora of Malawi: Commelina africana
Flora of Zambia: Commelina africana
Flora of Zimbabwe: Commelina africana

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Commelina africana
African Plant Database: Commelina africana
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Commelina africana
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Commelina africana
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Commelina africana
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Commelina africana
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Commelina africana
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network): Commelina africana
iNaturalist: Commelina africana
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Commelina africana
JSTOR Plant Science: Commelina africana
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Commelina africana
Kew Monocotyledon checklist: Commelina africana
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Commelina africana
Plants of the World Online: Commelina africana
The Plant List (version 1.1): Commelina africana
Tropicos: Commelina africana
Wikipedia: Commelina africana