Suberect or ascending herb, 20-60(-90) cm long, pubescent to subglabrous or glabrous. Leaves 5-10(-15) cm long, 2-5 cm broad, lanceolate, entire, acute, sessile, sheathing at base with fringed sheaths, 1.5-2.5 cm long. Spathes 2-3.5 cm long, folded, 1.5-2 cm broad, solitary or crowded (often so in upper axils), ob¬liquely funnel-shaped, free or fused below at the margin, subsessile to shortly pedunculate. Flowers usually pale blue, one of them nearly white. Capsules obovoid, subtrigonous, 3-loculed with 1 seed in each locule; seeds ellipsoid, lead-coloured or whitish with marbled margins, minutely dotted.

Fl. Per. Aug.-October.

Type: Described from Java.

Distribution: Pakistan, India, Srilanka, Bangla Desh to Malaysia, Indonesia and Phillipines.

A fairly common species from lower hills to the plains of Pakistan. Roots considered as an antidote for snake poison; useful in vertigo and fever etc.

Lower Taxon

• Commelina paludosa Forma pedunculata Qaiser & Jafri