Commelina benghalensis L., Commelinaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Cebuano: sabilau

English: Benghal dayflower, dayflower, Indian dayflower, tropical spiderwort, wandering Jew

French: commeline du Bengale, herbe aux cochons

Hawaiian: hairy honohono

Ibatan: kuhasi

Ilocano: kulkulasi

Japanese: tsuyukusa

Pampangan: bias-bias

Samoan: mau‘u Toga, mau‘u toga, mau‘u Tonga

Spanish: golondrina, matalí

Tagalog: alikbangon

Tongan: kaningi, kanini, musie matala pulu

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Creeping herb with ascending stems; leaves broadly ovate, up to 5 cm long and 4 cm wide, pubescent, narrowed at base but not distinctly petiolate; spathe funnel-shaped, about 1-1.4 cm wide, green, flattened, flowers bright blue"  (Stone, 1970; p. 104).

"Stems prostrate or ascending, often rooting at the nodes, up to 4 dm long, pubescent.  Leaf blades ovate to broadly ovate, 3-5 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide, puberulent and more or less appressed pilose, apex obtuse, abruptly contracted at base, sheaths 1-2 cm long, pilose and usually long-ciliate in upper part, the hairs rust-colored.  Hypogeous flowers sometimes present, margins of spathe connate at base, 1-1.5 cm long, peduncles more or less exserted from spathe; petals pale blue, 4-5 mm long.  Seeds 5 per capsule, transversely wrinkled"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1379).

Distinguishing characteristics.

Illustration by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) courtesy Ecoport.

Habitat/ecology:  "The plant is a serious weed of cultivated crops and is common in plantations and orchards.  It grows best where fertility, soil and air moisture are all high, but will also tolerate dry conditions"  (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 16).

In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in shaded, dry to mesic, disturbed sites, 3-200 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1379).  "Common to abundant in croplands of Tonga, but only occasional in Samoa" (Whistler, 1988; p. 40). In Tonga, "occasional plantation and waste area weed" (Yuncker, 1959; p. 77).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Old World tropics

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 97)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 18) Voucher cited: Fosberg 31723 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 97)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 97)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 97)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 18) Voucher cited: Evans 2397 (US, BISH, Fo, NY)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 97)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 104)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 97) Native per Stone, introduced per Fosberg et al.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1379)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1379)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1379)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (pp. 9-10) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H110134 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1379) Voucher cited: Forbes 1221.O (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands		Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 90)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	invasive	Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. (1975) (p. 24)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 40)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 90)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 59)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘apai Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 83) Vouchers cited: Soakai 832, Soakai 838
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Tofua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 83) Voucher cited: Scarth-Johnson 57
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 83) Voucher cited: Soakai 899 (EI)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 83) Vouchers cited: Lawrence 11, Soakai 539, Soakai 542, Soakai 591, Soakai 739
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 77) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15213, Hürlmann 47
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 90)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland		Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 230)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)		Hafliger, E. (1092) (p. plate)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 230)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 64, 76)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced invasive	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 110)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island		Stoddart, D. R./Taylor, J. D., eds. (1971) (p. 147)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island		Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 234)

Control: 

Physical: "Germination is difficult to prevent by mulches.  Susceptible to hand weeding, chapping and cultivation, but stems may root if left in contact with soil or plant debris.  May be palatable to pigs.  Can be controlled by competition from tall leafy crops and especially pasture species, but fairly tolerant of shade.  Tolerates dry air and soil conditions" (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 24).

Chemical: Susceptible to: 1) residual herbicides, including simazine, diuron, bromacil and terbacil at standard rates; 2) translocated herbicides, including fluroxypyr at standard rates (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 24).

Additional information:  Additional online information about Commelina benghalensis is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Commelina benghalensis may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1975. Vascular flora of the northern Marianas Islands. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 22:1-45.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1987. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian monocotyledonae. Micronesica 20:1-126.

Hafliger, E. 1092. Monocot Weeds 3. CIBA-GEIGY Ltd., Basle, Switzerland. 132 pp. plus plates.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. 1975. Weeds of New Guinea and their control. 2nd edition. Department of Forests, Division of Botany, Botany Bull. No. 7. Lae, Papua New Guinea. 180 pp.

Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. 1977. The world’s worst weeds: distribution and biology. East-West Center/University Press of Hawaii. 609 pp.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

Oppenheimer, Hank L. 2003. New plant records from Maui and Hawai‘i Counties. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2001-2002. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 73:3-30.

Stoddart, D. R./Taylor, J. D., eds. 1971. Geography and ecology of Diego Garcia Atoll, Chagos Archipelago. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 149. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 237 pp.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Waterhouse, D. F. 1993. The major invertebrate pests and weeds of agriculture in Southeast Asia. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 141 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1983. Weed Handbook of Western Polynesia. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH, Eschborn. 151 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1984. Annotated list of Samoan plant names. Economic Botany 38:464.489.

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.