• Latin name
• Family
• Synonym(s)
• Geographical distribution
• Morphology
• Biology and ecology
• Agricultural importance
• Management
• Selected references
• Contributors

Cyanotis axillaris

Cyanotis axillaris has 3 blue or purple petals, which are united into a tube (IRRI)

Latin name

Cyanotis axillaris (L.) D. Don

Family

Commelinaceae

Synonym(s)

Amischophacelus axillaris (L.) Rolla Rao & Kammathy

Geographical distribution

Asia: China.

South and Southeast Asia: Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Rest of the world: Africa (Eastern).

Morphology

A branched prostrate or sub-erect, fleshy annual, rooting at the nodes.

Stem: round, pinkish, and procumbent; about 5 mm—thick, 20—40—cm—long.

Leaf: lanceolate or linear, 4—11—cm—long and 0.6—1.2—cm—wide, glabrous upper surface; sheathing at the base, clasping the stem, and ciliate with long hairs on margins.

Inflorescence: purple or blue flowers in axillary clusters, partly hidden by the leaf sheaths; petals 3 and long with claws being united into a tube.

Fruit: capsule, beaked at the top.

Seed: grayish and pitted, 2 in each cell, truncate at base with a small conical point at the top.

Biology and ecology

Cyanotis axillaris is found in paddy and damp places. It can reproduce vegetatively and by seeds

Agricultural importance

It is a potential seed contaminant. 

Management

Cultural control: uproot plants and bury them; ensure clean seed or seedlings. 

Selected references

Backer CA, Van Den Brink RCB. 1968. Flora of Java (Spermatophytes only). Vol III. Wolters-Noordhoff N.V., Groningen. The Netherlands. 761 p.

Digital Flora of Taiwan. www.eFloras.org.

Cyanotis axillaris. www.bpi.da.gov.ph/Publications/mp/pdf/s/sabilau.pdf.

Noda K, Teerawatsakul M, Prakongvongs C, Chaiwirtnukul L. 1984. Major weeds in Thailand. National Weed Science Research Institute Project. Japan International Cooperation and Department of Agriculture Bangkok, Thailand. 142 p.

Pancho JV, Obien SR. 1995. Manual of ricefield weeds in the Philippines. Munoz, Nueva Ecija (Philippines): Philippine Rice Research Institute. 543 p.

Tadulingam C, Veenkatanarayana G. 1985. A handbook of some South Indian weeds. Coimbatore (India): Madras Agricultural College. 356 p.

Contributors

JLA Catindig, RT Lubigan, and DE Johnson