Commelina ensifolia explained

Commelina ensifolia, commonly known as scurvy weed, scurvy grass or wandering Jew,^{[1] [2]} is an annual herb native to Australia, India, and Sri Lanka.^[3]

The species grows as a prostrate herb, producing roots from the stem at the nodes. Flowers are bright blue with three petals, however one petal is much smaller than the others, often producing an appearance of two petals. The species prefers moist soils, but has a broad natural range, extending from coastal monsoon forest to the arid central deserts where it grows as an ephemeral following favourable rains.^[4] The species has been eaten as a green vegetable by Aboriginals. European settlers also ate the plant to prevent scurvy, giving rise the common name of scurvy grass.^[5]

The species is a minor weed in some parts of its natural range.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: F.A.Zich . B.P.M.Hyland . T.Whiffen . R.A.Kerrigan . Bernard Hyland . 2020 . Commelina ensifolia . Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8) . . 20 June 2021.
2. Web site: Commelina ensifolia. Atlas of Living Australia. 21 August 2014.
3. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=233872 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
4. Book: John Jessop. Australian Systematic Botany Society. Flora of Central Australia. 1981. Reed. 9780589502669 .
5. Book: A. B. Cribb. Joan Winifred Cribb. Charles McCubbin. Wild Food in Australia. 1987. Fontana/Collins. 978-0-00-636571-6.
6. Web site: Commelina ensifolia. Discover Nature at JCU. James Cook University Australia. 21 August 2014. https://archive.today/20140821031237/http://www-public.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/plants/plants_t/JCUDEV_006255. 21 August 2014. dead.