return to: checklist; keys; family Commelinaceae
Herbaceous
monocot; stems short, leaves forming a rosette cluster near the
ground; leaves alternate, simple, elongate, margins entire, apex
acute, green or green and purple; inflorescnece axillary, contained
within a pair of boat-like bracts; flowers small, delicate; petals
3, white.
Additional images:
Watery juice from the plant will irritate and redden the skin; hence it can be used as a sort of rouge to impart a rosy glow to one's cheeks.
Much as with Commelina diffusa, juice from freshly crushed plants will staunch bleeding. Decoctions have been used to treat a wide variety of genito-urinary tract ailments (Morton 1981).
