Commelina erecta, commonly known as white mouth dayflower, slender dayflower, or widow's tears. C. erecta is a blue flower often recognized by its two large blue petals and smaller white petal. It is a perennial herb common across the world and native throughout the Americas, Africa and western Asia.
Description
C. erecta is a perennial flower recognized by its two large blue petals and smaller third petal. Due to its three petal arrangement it is botanically recognized as a monocot. The two larger blue petals are located at the top of the plant with the third white petal in between and below them. The full flower is three-quarters to one and a quarter inches across. Each flower only lasts for a Day earning it the nickname the Dayflower. However, the buds on the plant may bloom 3–4 days apart increasing the individual's time in blossom.
Between the petals are the staminoide, central stamen, lateral stamen, and style. Commelina e. exhibits enantiostyly meaning the flowers have two morphs that are mirror images of each other where the style points either left or right. However enantiostyly makes up only two of the three polymorphs of this flower. The third polymorph is a male flower that completely lacks the style.
The leaves are lance-linear (long and thin) with a pointed apex and round base. The margins or edges of the leaf may be red. The leaves form sheaths around the stem with small hairs at their bases. All of the leaves have parallel longitudinal venation.
Below the flower are both its sepals and spathe. The spathe structure is made up of a leaf that grows folded in half lengthwise below the site of floral growth. This leaf is sealed from its apex to stem leaving only an opening at the top for the flower to emerge. The bract is covered in small short hairs.
C. erecta grows laterally across the ground reaching up to three feet long, yet it may grow vertically if structurally supported by another plant. The stems are generally rough, but...
