Commelinaceae
Cyanotis cristata
D. Don
The Commelinaceae family contains 40 genera and about 600 species.
The most represented genus is Commelina. It is Linné who baptised this family in honour of the Commelin brothers : three botanists (17th and 18th centuries), one of them being quite mediocre. This was referring to the shape of the flowers : three petals, one of them being atrophied.
Commelina coelestis
Willd.
In french, many plants of this family are called "misery" ("misère"), an unpleasant nickname but it confirm their easiness to adapt to hostile environments and moreover the swiftness that some show invading entire areas. Commelinaceae mainly grow in tropical forests but a few of them got adapted to dry environments.
Commelinaceae are widespread in Africa (about 14 genera) and in Asia (about 14 genera). It is mainly in America that the diversity is the most important, particularly from Mexico to the north of South America : about 20 genera. Australia and Madagascar also have often rare endemic genera. In Europe, some species are acclimatised, mainly close to the Mediterranean sea.
Dichorisandra thyrsiflora
J.G. Mikan
Tradescantia andersoniana is a perennial plant, coming from North America that one can easily find in stores with a great number of horticultural varieties giving many flowers from April to the first frosts. Now, the Lyon Botanical Garden’s collection presents more than 150 plants : 20 genera are represented. The exchanges with private individuals and botanical gardens enables us to enlarge our collection, which really exists since 1996.
Some plants grow in open ground in the Big Greenhouse whether in wet environment or in a drier one. Some of them need a higher temperature in winter than the others.
Callisia gentlei Matuda var elegans
(Alex. ex H.E. Moore) D.R. Hunt
Most of the collection is placed outside in summer in order to invigorate the plants and strengthen the leaves’ colours. Some others can undergo our winters and are planted outside. People can find many of these pants in stores as pendant plants for the inside. The horticultural varieties with variegated leaves have been appreciated for a long time. Some have hairy, whitish or purplish leaves : if placed at full light, their colours strengthen and can bring purple touches in outside beds or flower stands.
Commelina tuberosa
L.
Stems shooting is very easy : in water or a wet ground mix, roots quickly reappear. Most of the Commelinaceae treated as interior plants blossom easily. Don’t hesitate to cut them short, several times a year in order to keep the wisps homogenous. You can take profit from the cutting using the stems you cut as shoots.
Several species of Commelinaceae have edible rhizomes : Commelina edulis, Commelina tuberosa, Commelina latifolia, Commelina communis…
The leaves of Commelina clavata and young branches of Tradescantia virginiana are used in salads and Cyanotis hirsuta produces edible tubers. In tropical Asia, people use the sap from the leaves of Floscopa to treat eyes inflammation.