Commelinaceae
Commelina

Commelina elliptica Kunth

First published in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 259 (1816)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mexico to N. Argentina. It is a tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used for food.

Distribution

Native to:

Argentina Northwest, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Peru, Venezuela

Synonyms

Heterotypic Synonyms

Classification

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Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

  • Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
  • Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.

An alternative taxonomy had been proposed by the following authorities:

  • Hassemer, G. (2019). Further advances to the nomenclatural, taxonomic and geographic knowledge of the New World Commelina (Commelinaceae): toward a continental treatment. Phytotaxa 400: 89-122. [Cited as Commelina tuberosa.]
  • Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. [Cited as Commelina tuberosa.]

Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

  • Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

  • Diazgranados et al. (2021). Catalogue of plants of Colombia. Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia project. In prep.
  • FPI (2021). Food Plants International. https://fms.cmsvr.com/fmi/webd/Food_Plants_World?homeurl=https://foodplantsinternational.com/plants/

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jul 1, 2005 Rico, L.; Windsor-Shaw, T.; McRobb, A.; Alvarez, L. [1291] Bolivia K000295039 No
Eyerdam, W.J. Bolivia K003932607 Yes
Lord K003932605 Yes
Bourdy, G. Bolivia K003932606 Yes
Wood, J.R.I. Bolivia K003932618 Yes
Steinbach, J. Bolivia K003932608 Yes
Wood, J.R.I.; Huaylla, H.; Haigh, A. Bolivia K003932613 Yes
Wood, J.R.I.; Carretero, A.; Mercado, M. Bolivia K003932615 Yes
Fiebrig, K. Bolivia K003932604 Yes
Wood, J.R.I. Bolivia K003932620 Yes
Mandon, G. Bolivia K003932609 Yes
Wood, J.R.I. Bolivia K003932619 Yes
Wood, J.R.I.; Haigh, A. Bolivia K003932612 Yes
Badcock Bolivia K003932616 No
de la Cruz F, L. Bolivia K003932614 Yes
Miguel Bang, A. Bolivia K003932611 Yes
Rusby, H.H. Bolivia K003932610 Yes

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0