Family - Commelinaceae

Stems:

N/A

Leaves:

Leaf sheath.

Inflorescence:

N/A

Flowers:

Flowering - September - November.

Habitat - Marshes, lake margins, streambanks, ditches, bogs.

Origin - Native to tropical Asia.

Other information - This attractive yet weedy species can be found scattered mainly throughout east Alabama. The plant is easy to ID becasue of its habitat, fleshy stems, and pinkish-purple flowers. The flowers have three spreading petals and NO spathe subtending them.
The genus name Murdannia is given in honor of Murdan Aly who was a plant collector and keeper of the Botanical Garden of Saharanpur, India.
The species epithet keisak is a native Japanese name for the plant.
A common synonym is Aneilema keisak Hassk.

Alabama Distribution:

Photographs taken in Brown Summit, NC., 9-8-02.

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