Commelina africana
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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.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Ridge on Mt Shangani, eastern Chimanimani Mts.
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| 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. |
| Type location: |
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| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | africana: African |
| Habitat: | Widespread in woodland, grassland and disturbed places. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | Nov - Apr |
| Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in Africa, Yemen and Madagascar. Naturalized in Australia. |
| FZ divisions: | 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 |
| Images 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. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 15. under various sub taxa 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 Fischer, E. & Killmann, D. (2008). Illustrated Field guide to the Plants of Nyungwe National Park Rwanda. University of Koblenz-Landau. Page 460. (Includes a picture). 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). Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 84. 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:
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Flora of Botswana: Commelina africanaFlora of Burundi: Commelina africana
Flora of Caprivi: Commelina africana
Flora of Malawi: Commelina africana
Flora of Rwanda: Commelina africana
Flora of Zambia: Commelina africana
Flora of Zimbabwe: Commelina africana
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Commelina africanaAfrican Plant Database: Commelina africana
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Commelina africana
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Commelina africana
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Commelina africana
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Commelina africana
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Commelina africana
JSTOR Plant Science: Commelina africana
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Commelina africana
Plants of the World Online: Commelina africana
Tropicos: Commelina africana
Wikipedia: Commelina africana