Commelina hirsuta - Hairy Dayflower

Hairy Dayflower is an extensively branched, clustered-straggling, perennial herb about 20-70 cm tall, with a definite base; roots thick. Flowers are bisexual; flower-stalks 2-3 mm long. Petals are 3, deep blue; paired petals clawed, round-oblate, about 6.7 x 7.7 mm; claw about 1.5 mm long; lower petal stalkless, broadly ovate, about 3.3 x 3.5 mm. Stamens 3; lateral stamen filaments about 3 mm long, anthers ca. 1.5 mm long; median stamen with a slightly shorter filament, anthers yellow, curved. Staminodes 3; filaments about 2 mm long; antherodes yellow, 4-lobed with 2 lateral appendages. Sepals are 3, transparent; medial narrowly elliptic, 2.6-4 mm long; laterals 3.5-5 mm long, basally fused, round. Spathes are leaf opposed, lanceshaped, 1.5-6 x 0.5-0.7 cm, pointed-tapering at tip, heart-shaped at base, hairy outside and on margins, finely velvet-hairy inside, green; margin purplish. Flower-cluster-stalks are 3-4 cm long, green, hairy; upper cincinnus vestigial, 2 mm long, hairy; lower cincinnus about 5 mm long, hairy, 3-4 flowered. Stems are thickened at the base, round, green to purplish, hairy; internodes about 5-6 cm long. Leaves are distichous; sheaths about 2 cm long, hairy; blade linear-lanceshaped, 5-7 x 0.4-1 cm, pointed-tapering at tip, minutely hairy at margins, both surfaces hairy. Hairy Dayflower is endemic to India, among grasses on mountainous slopes, usually above 1800 m altitude. Flowering: July-November.