Jepson Herbarium
		University of California, Berkeley

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Indexes to all accepted names and synonyms: | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

Annual, perennial herb, generally glabrous.
Stem: prostrate to erect or climbing; nodes often rooting.
Leaf: alternate, entire, simple, linear to ovate, closed basal sheath or lower leaf clasping stem.
Inflorescence: cyme, umbel-like or not, terminal or terminal and axillary, subtended by 1–2 bracts [not].
Flower: generally bisexual, bilateral or radial, generally insect-pollinated; sepals 3, generally green; petals 3, blue, white, rose, purple, or pale violet, generally ephemeral; stamens 6 (3 sterile or not), filaments generally slender, often hairy; ovary superior, chambers 3, style 1.
Fruit: generally capsule.
Seed: 1–few per chamber.
40 genera, ± 630 species: especially tropics, subtrop; some cultivated as ornamental. [Faden 2000 FNANM 22:170–197] —Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.

Key to Commelinaceae

Perennial.
Inflorescence: umbel-like, subtended by 2 leaf-like bracts.
Flower: radial; petals equal, blue, rose, purple, or white; filament hairs generally from base, each a row of unusually large cells.
± 70 species: North America, South America. (John Tradescant, British naturalist, 1570s–1638)
Unabridged references: [Faden 2000 FNANM 22:173–187]

Leaf: 5–45 cm, glabrous (occasionally sheaths with long, shaggy hairs), glaucous.
Inflorescence: terminal and axillary, flowers few to many.
Flower: sepals 4–15 mm.
Gardens, occasionally escaping; 50 m. North Coast (Humboldt Co.);

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Next taxon: Cyperaceae

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

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Bioregions in which taxon occurs	Red area (if present) is the part of the bioregion lying between the upper and lower elevation limits of the taxon; markers link to CCH specimen records. If the markers are obscured, reload the page [or change window size and reload]. Yellow markers indicate records that may have georeferencing or identification issues.
Chart based on elevation range in Manual and elevations and coordinates of CCH records. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. Note: About half of the CCH records include both elevation and coordinates.	Map made in collaboration with Scott Loarie. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. View all CCH records   CCH collections by month Duplicates counted once; synonyms included. Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa. Blue line denotes Manual flowering time.