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Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Commelinales
Family: Commelinaceae
Common name: kanchira, Dholpata(Beng.); tropical spiderwort, Day flower(Eng.).
Life cycle: Annual or Perennial
Native Range: Commelina benghalensis is native to tropical Asia and Africa. It has been widely introduced to areas outside its native range, including to the neotropics, Hawaii, the West Indies and to both coasts of North America. A trailing, weedy herb growing on sandy soils. Leaves are alternate, lily-like, 1.2-2.8 in. (3-7 cm) long and often have reddish hairs towards the tip. Aboveground flowers are very small with relatively large lilac to blue petals and are present from the spring into the fall. Underground flowers, which grow on burrowing rhizomes, are white and very small.
The Commelina benghalensis is used medicinally as a diuretic, febrifuge and anti-inflammatory in China. In Pakistan it is used as an animal fodder and also eaten by humans as a vegetable. It is also used there medicinally, but with different purported effects, including as a laxative and to cure inflammations of the skin as well as leprosy. |
