Help us maintain this website and keep it free and open for our community of scientists, students, and conservation managers, who depend on it to obtain the most up to date information. Help us save species and restore native ecosystems!

Close
Please scroll to the bottom for more images.
Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys Database Online

Commelina erecta L.
Whitemouth dayflower

Commelina erecta
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer

Family: Commelinaceae

Group: Monocot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: United States, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Secure

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: Visit our Natives For Your Neighborhood website for more information and images.

Synonyms: C. angustifolia, C. elegans, C. hamipila.

FLORIDA KEYS Occurrence: Present

FLORIDA KEYS Native Status: Native

IRC FLORIDA KEYS Status: Imperiled

Map of select IRC data for the Florida Keys

Florida Keys History and Distribution: Reported in 1913 by John Kunkel Small for pinelands, hammocks, sand dunes and sandy places from the upper Keys to the lower Keys.  First observed in the lower sandy Keys by George D. Gann and Keith A. Bradley in 1996.  We consider this native and extant throughout the Florida Keys.

Other data on Commelina erecta available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

Commelina erecta has been reported from the following 14 conservation areas in the FLORIDA KEYS :
Occurrence Native Status
Bahia Honda State Park Present Native
Biscayne National Park, Florida Keys Section Present Native
Blue Heron Hammock, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Curry Hammock State Park Reported
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Indian Key Historic State Park Presumed Extirpated Presumed Extirpated
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park A Doubtfull Record
Key West National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park Present Native
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, Klopp Tract Present Native
Long Key State Park Present Native
National Key Deer Refuge Possibly Extirpated Possibly Extirpated
Snake Creek Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park Present Native




Commelina erecta has been reported for the following 4 habitats in THE FLORIDA KEYS :
Beach Dune
Disturbed Upland
Keys Cactus Barren
Pine Rockland


All Images:

Commelina erecta
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer
Commelina erecta
Copyright by: Shirley Denton
Commelina erecta
Copyright by: Shirley Denton
Commelina erecta
Copyright by: Shirley Denton
Commelina erecta
Copyright by: Shirley Denton
Commelina erecta
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley
Commelina erecta
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley