Soljot – Commelina

Stems usually creeping or suberect, rooting at nodes. Leaves are alternate, sessile or petiolate, sheathing at base. Blades are usually narrowly elliptic, sometimes subfleshy, entire, acute. Inflorescences are leaf-opposed, usually 2-flowered cymes, enclosed in spathes. Flowers are bisexual and staminate, bilaterally symmetric with well-developed pedicels. Flowers of the upper cymes are small, often sterile, those of the lower cymes larger and fertile. Sepals are 3, unequal, outer free and inner 2 often connate. Petals are 3, longer than sepals, the upper 2 clawed and usually coloured (blue, lilac, lavender, yellow, peach, apricot, or white), lower reduced and often different color than the upper ones. Fertile stamens are 3, staminodes 2-3. Capsules are 2-3-locular. Seeds are 1-2 per locule, small, usually subtriangular, reticulately pitted.