Authority:

Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

Family:

Commelinaceae

Description:

Species Description - Erect to decumbent herb to 35 cm tall, usually forming large colonies; stems to 1 cm diam., succulent, producing a watery, caustic sap. Leaves ascending, rosulate to spirally arranged; blades 15-41 x 2.8-6.4 cm, oblong, fleshy when fresh (chartaceous when dried), violet below, the apex acuminate, the base forming a tubular sheath, the margins entire. Inflorescences axillary; peduncles 2-4 cm long; spathaceous bracts overlapping, violet, 3-4.5 cm wide, longitudinally folded inward to conceal 2 many-flowered cymes. Flowers white; pedicels curved, 4-8 mm long. Sepals 5-6 mm long, lanceolate; petals 5-8 mm long; stamens shorter than the petals, the anther connective widely obdeltate; ovary ovoidglobose, with 1 ovule per locule, the style elongate, exserted, the stigma minutely capitate. Capsule trilobed, 4-4.5 mm long, grayish. Seeds 1 per locule, oblong-ellipsoid.

Distribution:

Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| West Indies| Belize Central America| Guatemala Central America| México Mexico North America|