4. Floscopa Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 1: 192 (1790).
Taxon Description
Perennial herbs. Roots fibrous. Rhizomes long, rooting arises from lower nodes. Stems erect, rarely creeping, usually smooth sometimes hairy. Leaves alternate, sessile or narrowed to a short petiolar base, elliptic to lanceolate, glabrous, sheaths tubular, margin entire. Inflorescence a broom-like panicle, solitary or several, terminal or axillary, involucral bracts not penetrating the leaf sheath and emerges through the mouth of sheath. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic. Pedicels present. Sepals 3, free, shallowly to strongly boat-shaped, persistent. Petals 3, free, obovate, clawed, blue, purple or white. Stamens 6, 3 or all fertile, equal, filaments glabrous, fused below, anther locules connate, ellipsoid, longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary 2-loculed, ovules 1 per locule. Capsule 2-valved, slightly flattened. Seeds 1 or 2 per valve, cylindric, trigonous, rugose, reticulate, hilum linear.
Taxon Statistics
1. Floscopa scandens Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 1: 193 (1790).
Aneilema hispidum D. Don; Commelina hamiltonii Spreng.; C. hispida Buch.-Ham. ex Spreng.; Floscopa hamiltonii (Spreng.) Hassk.; Tradescantia paniculata Roxb.
Perennial herbs, 40–60 cm. Rhizomes long. Stems simple, erect, prostrate proximally. Leaves alternate, usually sessile or with short winged petiole, acuminate, elliptic to lanceolate, margins shortly hispid-ciliate, narrowed to base gradually, 2–11 X 1–2 cm, leaf blade elliptic-lanceolate. Inflorescence broom like, panicle, involucral bracts broadly ovate or lanceolate, somewhat acuminate at tip, 8 x 4 cm, arranged in whorled at the base, persistent. Pedicels present. Flowers actinomorphic. Sepals 3, 3–4 mm, free, lanceolate, blunt, boat-shaped, leathery, persistent. Petals 3, 4–5 mm, free, lanceolate, blunt, blue or purple, obovate, clawed. Stamens 6, 3 or all fertile, equal, filaments glabrous, anther locules connate, blue. Ovary 2 loculed, ovules 1 per locule. Capsules 2-valved, ovoid, oblong, compressed. Seeds 1 per valve, 1.1–1.8 mm, gray.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Tibetan Plateau, Assam-Burma, E Asia, SE Asia and Australasia.
Altitudinal range: 500–1800 m.
Ecology: Schima-Castanopsis forest.
Flowering: July–November.
Fruiting: November –December. 