Cyanotis cristata (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Cyanotis cristata (L.) D. Don

Family: Commelinaceae

Synonyms

• Commelina cristata L.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: petungan (Java), gewor, tali (both latter names in common with other Commelinaceae)
• Philippines: alikbangon (Tagalog), kulasing-akabaleg (Pangasinan)
• Cambodia: smau slaab tië
• Laos: kaab pii
• Thailand: ya-huaraknoi (northern)
• Vietnam: bích trai mồng.

Distribution

Originating in tropical Asia and Africa, but is now a pantropical weed.

Uses

Leaves and stems are used as a vegetable in West Java. The species is also useful as a forage.

Observations

• Erect or ascending, branched herb, up to 40 cm tall with sheathing leaves.
• Stem with a longitudinal row of hairs, juicy.
• Leaf-blade fleshy, oblong to lanceolate, up to 12 cm × 2.5 cm.
• Flowers actinomorphic, blue, closely arranged in curved biseriate cincinni; petals highly connate into a tube.

Especially in dry, but also in humid regions, on roadsides, rocks or stones, up to 1000 m altitude.

Selected sources

7, 60, 66, 76, 85.