Callisia fragrans (Lindl.) Woodson
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Commelinaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Decumbent herb 0.5-1.2 m tall, forming clumps, with basal portion rooting at nodes, stoloniferous. Leaves spreading; blades 9-28 x 3-4 cm, oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, convolute, fleshy but drying chartaceous, the apex acute, the base slightly narrowed into the sheath, the margins entire; sheath tubular, ca. 1 cm long. Flowers small, in racemiform or paniculiform inflorescences; bracts ovate or 3-lobed, to 1 cm long, whitish; bracteoles lanceolate, 4-5 mm long. Sepals oblong, boat-shaped, hyaline, 4.5-5 mm long; petals oblong-lanceolate, white to pinkish-tinged, 4.5-5.5 mm long, papillose; filaments filiform, erect, white, the anthers elliptic, basal on a butterfly-shaped, white connective ca. 2 mm long; ovary trilocular, sharply trigonous, the style to 4 mm long, white.
Distribution and Ecology - Native to Mexico, cultivated and naturalized along roadsides and open disturbed areas. Fish Bay (A3870), Maria Bluff (A3805), trail to Solomon Beach (A2294). Also naturalized on St. Croix and Tortola; Bonaire (Dutch West Indies), Hawaii, India.
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Discussion
Common name: ground orchid.