Commelina erecta, Whitemouth Dayflower, Southwest Desert Flora

Commelina erecta, Whitemouth Dayflower

Scientific Name: Commelina erecta
Common Name: Whitemouth Dayflower
Also Called: Day Flower, Dayflower, Erect Dayflower, Slender Dayflower, Slender Day-flower, White-mouth Dayflower, Widow's Tears (Spanish: Hierba del Pollo)
Family: Commelinaceae, Dayflower or Spiderwort Family
Synonyms: (Commelina crispa)
Status: Native
Duration: Perennial
Size: Not much height, 10 or 12 inches; may spread out several feet.
Growth Form: Forb/herb; procumbent, slender stems, jointed, grows upright in helper plants, may spread on ground up to 3 feet.
Leaves: Green; alternate, lance shaped or linear, simple.
Flower Color: Blue; irregular perianth, two upright showy blue petals, lower petal is smaller, white, flowers bloom on erect branches extending from a spathlike inflorescence.
Flowering Season: May to September, later in Texas (May to October).
Elevation: 3,500 to 5,000 feet.

Habitat Preferences: Sandy well drained soil.

Recorded Range: In the United States Whitemouth Dayflower is found in the mid-west and eastern states as well as Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming; AL, AR, AZ, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV and WY. It also occurs in Baja California, Mexico Africa and western Asia.
In Arizona Whitemouth Dayflower in found in the southeast and southern parts of the state.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Commelina erecta.

U.S. Weed Information: No data available.
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: No data available.

Wetland Indicator: In North America Commelina erecta is included on the USDA 2012 National Wetland Plant List as a: (FACU) Facultative Upland, usually occur in non-wetlands; (FAC) Facultative, occur in wetlands and non-wetlands and (UPL) Obligate Upland, almost never occur in wetlands species.

Threatened/Endangered Information: 4 states list Commelina erecta as: Threatened; Iowa, Endangered; New Jersey, Probably Extirpated; Michigan, and Extirpated; Pennsylvania.

Genus Information: 13 species in Commelina in the United States, 2 species in Arizona. 3 varieties in Commelina erecta, all 3 varieties found in Arizona;
Commelina erecta var. angustifolia, Whitemouth Dayflower,
Commelina erecta var. deamiana, Whitemouth Dayflower and
Commelina erecta var. erecta, also Whitemouth Dayflower.

Comments: Whitemouth Dayflower is variable across North America. Photos above taken in November at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

Whitemouth Dayflower is similar in appearance to Prairie Spiderwort, Tradescantia occidentalis.