Flora of New York/Commelinales, Zingiberales, Ceratophyllales

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	Table of contents	Genus index	Protected species index	Invasive species index

The orders Commelinales and Zingiberales are members of the commelinids clade within the monocots.

commelinids

Arecales (palms, not naturalized in NY)

Poales (grasses, rushes, sedges)

	Zingiberales (gingers, banana, unlikely naturalized in NY)

	Commelinales (spiderwort, water hyacinth)

The monospecific order Ceratophyllales is thought to be the phylogenetic sister to all the eudicots, which include all the angiosperms that follow.

Order Commelinales

The Commelinales

Family Commelinaceae

The Commelinaceae (dayflower family).^[1]

↑ Commelinaceae Troy Weldy & David Werier (2013) New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York.

Subamily Commelinoideae

Tribe Tradescanteae

Tradescantia

Wild Flowers of New York Part 1, Plate 7. Spider Lily, Spiderwort - Tradescantia virginiana (1918)

Spiderwort (Tradescantia) is a New World genus of herbaceous perennials, named by Carl Linnaeus in honor of John Tradescant the Elder (ca. 1570–1638). Although all spiderworts listed in New York are considered to be native to eastern North America, none are listed as New York natives by the New York Flora Atlas. However, Tradescantia ohiensis is listed as native in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts; and BONAP shows it native in New York.

Commelinales — Commelinaceae — Commelinoideae — Tradescanteae — Tradescantia
Genus Tradescantia	Spider wort	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Tradescantia ohiensis Raf. 1814. Tradescantia ohiensis Raf. in Précis Découv. Somiol.:45 1832. Tradescantia canaliculata Raf. in Atlantic J. 1:150 1837. Tradescantia reflexa Raf. in New Fl. 2:87 1837. Tradescantia riparia Raf. in New Fl. 2:88 1897. Tradescantia foliosa Small in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 24:234 1903. Tradescantella incarnata (Small) Small in Fl. S.E. U.S.:1328 1905. Tradescantia difformis Bush in Rep. Missouri Bot. Gard. 1905:101 1935. Tradescantia paludosa E.S.Anderson & Woodson in Contr. Arnold Arbor. 1977. Tradescantia ohiensis var. foliosa (Small) MacRoberts in Phytologia 1979. Tradescantia ohiensis var. paludosa (E.S.Anderson & Woodson) MacRoberts	Ohio spiderwort, Bluejacket, Smooth spiderwort	Introduced from eastern N. America, N. America native, Naturalized, SNA, G5 FACU-FAC Perennial, Herb-forb, Part Shade, 2n = 12, 24		NYFA: 15 counties	USDA-NN POWO Go Botany ARS-GRIN FNA FNA BONAP LBJ Images Wikispecies
Tradescantia virginiana L. 1753. Tradescantia virginiana L.	Virginia spiderwort Éphémère de Virginie	Introduced from eastern N. America, N. America native, Naturalized		NYFA: X	USDA-NX Go Botany ARS-GRIN ITIS BONAP Images Wikispecies
Tradescantia ohiensis × virginiana Tradescantia ohiensis × Tradescantia virginiana	Hybrid of Ohio spiderwort & Virginia spiderwort	Introduced from eastern N. America, N. America native, Naturalized		NYFA: X	Images Wikispecies
Tradescantia occidentalis (Britton) Smyth var. occidentalis 1896. Tradescantia virginiana var. occidentalis Britton 1899. Tradescantia occidentalis var. occidentalis 1935. Tradescantia virginiana var. typica E.S.Anderson & Woodson	Prairie spider-wort, Western spiderwort	Introduced, N. America native, Impersistent		NYFA: Xm	USDA-NN ARS-GRIN FNA BONAP Images Wikispecies
Tradescantia subaspera Ker Gawl. 1813. Tradescantia subaspera Ker Gawl. 1893. Tradescantia montana Shuttlew. ex Small & Vail 1935. Tradescantia subaspera var. montana E.S.Anderson & Woodson 1949. Tradescantia subaspera ssp. montana R.T.Clausen	Zigzag spiderwort	Introduced, N. America native, Impersistent		NYFA: Xm	USDA-N0 ARS-GRIN FNA BONAP Images Wikispecies

Tribe Commelineae

The Commelineae in New York include the dayflowers (Commelina spp.) and dewflowers (Murdannia spp.).

Commelina

Commelina erecta L.
slender or whitemouth dayflower

The only dayflower (Commelina sp.) listed as native to New York is Commelina erecta (slender dayflower),^[1] which is thought to be extirpated from the state.

The introduced Asiatic dayflower (Commelina communis) is fairly common in many parts of the state. It is reported to be invasive in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virgina, Virginia, and Kentucky.^[2]

↑ M.L. Fernald (1950). Gray's manual of botany, 8th ed. American Book Company, New York. p. 393. Lists C. erecta (typical) as present in southeastern New York.
↑ Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. July 10, 2018

Commelinales — Commelinaceae — Commelinoideae — Commelineae — Commelina
Genus Commelina	Dayflower	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Commelina erecta L. ssp. erecta 1753. Commelina erecta L. 1816. Commelina elegans Kunth 1903. Commelina saxicola Small	Slender dayflower ⓘ Erect dayflower ⓘ Whitemouth dayflower ⓘ Widow's tears ⓘ Common dayflower ⓘ	Native, CoC: 10, Extirpated, Impersistent, NYNHP:^[1] UPL-FAC Perennial, Herb-forb		NYFA: Z NYFA: 1 county 0 counties	USDA-N0 POWO Go Botany-0 BONAP Images Wikispecies
Commelina communis L. 1753. Commelina communis L. 1811. Commelina debilis Ledeb. 1843. Commelina willdenowii Kunth 1861. Commelina ludens Miq. 1881. Commelina communis var. ludens (Miq.) C.B. Clarke 1909. Commelina communis var. angustifolia Nakai 1910. Commelina coreana H.Lév. 1961. Commelina communis f. aureostriata	Asian dayflower, Asiatic dayflower, Dayflower	Introduced from temperate Asia, Potentially invasive, Naturalized Annual, Herb-forb		NYFA: X NYFA: 0 counties iNat 0 counties	USDA-XX Go Botany ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos Images Wikispecies
Genus Commelina (excluded taxa)	Dayflower	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Commelina diffusa Burm.f. var. diffusa 1768. Commelina diffusa Burm.f.	Climbing dayflower	N. America native, N.Y. excluded		NYFA-Excluded NYFA: 0 counties 0 counties	USDA-N0 Go Botany Images Wikispecies
Commelina virginica L. 1753. Commelina virginica L.	Virginia dayflower	N. America native, N.Y. excluded		NYFA-Excluded NYFA: 0 counties 0 counties	USDA-N0 Images Wikispecies
↑ New York Rare Plant Status Lists, December 2022: 2022 Rare Plant Status List - Active Inventory List: Commelina erecta Slender Dayflower: NEWY-X QUEE-? RICH-? G5 SX U

Murdannia

Murdannia nudiflora

Of the approximately 60 Murdannia species in the world, only about three are found outside of cultivation in North America, and only one has been collected in New York.

Specimens of Murdannia nudiflora were collected in Bronx County in 2009 from the grounds of New York Botanical Garden propagation nursery.^[1] However, this is considered to be tropical plant, with reports rare north of North Carolina.

Marsh dewflower (Murdannia keisak) has not been reported in New York, but it is prohibited in New York State and considered highly invasive.^[2]

Commelinales — Commelinaceae — Commelinoideae — Commelineae — Murdannia
Genus Murdannia Royle (excluded species)	Dew-flower	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan 1753. Commelina nudiflora L. in Sp. Pl.:41 1757. Commelina chinensis Osbeck in Dagb. Ostind. Resa:21 1762. Tradescantia malabarica L. in Sp. Pl., ed. 2.:412 1768. Commelina nudicaulis Burm.f. in Fl. Indica:17 1826. Aneilema nudiflorum (L.) Sweet in Hort. Brit.:430 1837. Ditelesia nudiflora (L.) Raf. in Fl. Tellur. 3: 69 1927. Phaeneilema nudiflorum (L.) G.Brückn. in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 10:56 1930. Murdannia malabarica (L.) G.Brückn. in H.G.A.Engler, Nat. Pflanzenfam., ed. 2. 15a:173 1952. Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan in Kew Bull. 7:189	Nakedstem dewflower Nakedstemed dewflower Dove-weed	Introduced from Asia, Not naturalized FAC		NYFA: Bronx (2009) iNat: No NY observations GBIF: Bronx (2009)	USDA-X0 POWO ARS-GRIN FNA FNA Tropicos BONAP Images Wikispecies
Murdannia keisak (Hassk.) Hand.-Maz. 1870. Aneilema keisak Hassk. 1936. Murdannia keisak (Hassk.) in…	Wart-removing herb, Marsh dewflower, Asian spiderwort	Introduced from Asia, Highly invasive, NYIS: 78%^[1], No NY reports			USDA-X0 ARS-GRIN FNA Tropicos BONAP BUG Images Wikispecies
↑ New York non-native plant invasiveness assessment – Murdannia keisak: High (78).

Family Haemodoraceae

The Haemodoraceae (bloodwort family).^[1]

Subfamily Haemodoroideae

Lachnanthes

Lachnanthes caroliniana

The genus Lachnanthes consists of the single species Carolina redroot or bloodroot (Lachnanthes caroliniana).

↑ Haemodoraceae Troy Weldy & David Werier (2013) New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York.

Commelinales — Haemodoraceae — Haemodoroideae
Genus Lachnanthes	Redroot	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Lachnanthes caroliniana (Lam.) Dandy 1791. Dilatris caroliniana Lam. 1791. Heritiera tinctorium Walter ex J.F.Gmel. 1812. Gyrotheca tinctoria (Walter ex J.F.Gmel.) Salisb. 1814. Dilatris tinctoria (Walter ex J.F.Gmel.) Pursh 1816. Lachnanthes tinctoria (Walter ex J.F.Gmel.) Elliott 1932. Lachnanthes caroliana (Lam.) Dandy	Carolina redroot, Carolina bloodroot, Red-root, Paint-root, Dye-root Lachnanthe de Caroline	Native, CoC: 10, Endangered, S1, G4, NYNHP: 1^[1] OBL Perennial, Herb-forb		Suffolk NYFA: 1	USDA-NN Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos BONAP LBJ Images Wikispecies
↑ New York Natural Heritage Program. 2024. Online Conservation Guide for Lachnanthes caroliniana. Endangered, S1/G4.

Family Pontederiaceae

The Pontederiaceae (family).^[1]

↑ Pontederiaceae Troy Weldy & David Werier (2013) New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York.

Tribe Pontederieae

Pontederia

Pontederia subg. Pontederia

Pontederia cordata
pickerel weed

Commelinales — Pontederiaceae — Pontederieae — Pontederia
Genus Pontederia	Pickerel weed	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	n NPT
Pontederia cordata L. 1753. Pontederia cordata L.	Pickerelweed Pontédérie cordée, Langue du boeuf	Native, Secure		NYFA: 5	USDA-NN Images Wikispecies

Pontederia subg. Oshunae

Pontederia crassipes

Pontederia crassipes (water hyacinth) is an attractive free-floating aquatic perennial that is known to be very invasive in the south. It has been reported outside of cultivation in New York State, but was thought to be unable to overwinter this far north. However, it may be able to grow as an annual, and there is concern that water hyacinths may eventually evolve resistance to the cold.^[1]^[2]

Commelinales — Pontederiaceae — Pontederieae — Pontederia
Genus Pontederia	Water hyacinth	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Pontederia crassipes Mart. 1823. Pontederia crassipes Mart. 1837. Piaropus crassipes (Mart.) Raf. 1837. Piaropus mesomelas Raf. 1843. Eichhornia speciosa Kunth (i) 1883. Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms 1883. Eichornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms (i) 1893. Piaropus crassipes (Mart.) Britton 2021. Oshuna crassipes (Mart.) A.Haines	Common water hyacinth	Introduced from South America, Highly invasive, Impersistent, NA, G5 OBL		NYFA: X NYFA: 3 counties 7 counties	USDA-XX POWO Tropicos Images Wikispecies

Tribe Heteranthereae

Heteranthera

Heteranthera dubia

The genus Heteranthera contains aquatic plants known as mud plantains, two of which are native to New York.

Commelinales — Pontederiaceae — Heteranthereae — Heteranthera
Genus Heteranthera	Mud plantain	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Heteranthera dubia (Jacq.) MacMill. 1768. Commelina dubia Jacq. 1892. Heteranthera dubia (Jacq.) MacMill. 1894. Heteranthera dubia (Jacq.) Morong isonym 1913. Zosterella dubia (Jacq.) Small	Water star-grass, Grassleaf mudplantain, Grass-leaved mud-plantain Hétéranthère litigieuse, Hétéranthère douteuse	Native, CoC: 5, Secure, S5, G5 OBL Perennial, Herb-forb		NYFA:	USDA-NN Go Botany VASCAN ARS-GRIN FNA LBJ Images Wikispecies
Heteranthera reniformis Ruiz & Pav. 1798. Heteranthera reniformis Ruiz & Pav. 1799. Heterandra reniformis (Ruiz & Pav.) P.Beauv.	Mud-plantain, Kidneyleaf mudplantain, Kidney-leaved mud-plantain	Native, CoC: 7, Rare, S3, G5 OBL Perennial, Herb-forb		Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Rensselaer, Suffolk, Ulster NYFA: 3	USDA-N0 ITIS FNA LBJ Images Wikispecies

Order Zingiberales

Family Cannaceae

The Cannaceae (family) contains the single genus Canna.^[1]

↑ Cannaceae Troy Weldy & David Werier (2013) New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York.

Canna

Canna × generalis

Zingiberales — Cannaceae — Canna
Genus Canna	Canna lily	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Canna × generalis L.H.Bailey (pro sp.) Canna glauca × Canna indica 1923. Canna × generalis L.H.Bailey 1923. Canna × orchiodes L.H.Bailey auct. Canna × hortensis non Guillaumin (1934)	Canna-lily, Canna lily, Common garden canna Balisier	Introduced, Impersistent, Not naturalized, Cultivated, SNA, GNA FACW-OBL		Oneida (1965) NYFA: Xm	USDA-X0 ARS-GRIN ITIS Tropicos Images Wikispecies

Order Ceratophyllales

The Ceratophyllales contains a single family.

Family Ceratophyllaceae

The Ceratophyllaceae contains a single genus.

Ceratophyllum

Ceratophyllum demersum

The genus Ceratophyllum (coontails or hornworts) contains only about a half-dozen species, of which, two are listed as native to New York.

Ceratophyllales — Ceratophyllaceae — Ceratophyllum
Genus Ceratophyllum	Hornwort	N.Y. Status	Images	Distribution	NY NPT
Ceratophyllum demersum L. 1753. Ceratophyllum demersum L. 1794. Dichotophyllum demersum (L.) Moench 1829. Ceratophyllum apiculatum Cham. 1860. Ceratophyllum demersum var. apiculatum (Cham.) Asch.	Common coontail ⓘ Coon's tail ⓘ Common hornwort ⓘ Coontail ⓘ Common hornweed Coontail hornwort ⓘ Rigid hornweed ⓘ Cornifle nageante ⓘ	Native, CoC: 4, Secure, S5, G5 OBL Perennial, Herb-forb		NYFA: 5	USDA-NN Go Botany ARS-GRIN ITIS FNA FNA Tropicos Images Wikispecies
Ceratophyllum echinatum A.Gray 1848. Ceratophyllum echinatum A.Gray 1856. Ceratophyllum demersum var. echinatum (A.Gray) A.Gray 1985. Ceratophyllum submersum var. echinatum (A.Gray) Wilmot-Dear	Spiny-fruited coontail ⓘ Prickly coontail Prickly hornwort Spineless hornwort ⓘ Cornifle échinée	Native, CoC: 4, Vulnerable, S4, G4? OBL Perennial, Herb-forb		NYFA: 3	USDA-NN POWO Go Botany FNA FNA Tropicos Images Wikispecies

[1] Commelinaceae Troy Weldy & David Werier (2013) New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York.

[2] M.L. Fernald (1950). Gray's manual of botany, 8th ed. American Book Company, New York. p. 393. Lists C. erecta (typical) as present in southeastern New York.

[3] Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. July 10, 2018

[4] New York Rare Plant Status Lists, December 2022: 2022 Rare Plant Status List - Active Inventory List: Commelina erecta Slender Dayflower: NEWY-X QUEE-? RICH-? G5 SX U

[5] R. F. C. Naczi 12673 with Daniel E. Atha, 29 Oct 2009, Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan. New York Botanical Garden, C. V. Starr Virtual Herbarium.

[6] Marsh dewflower (Murdannia keisak), Invasive Species Management, Lower Hudson PRISM. (22 Jan 2025)

[7] New York non-native plant invasiveness assessment – Murdannia keisak: High (78).

[8] Haemodoraceae Troy Weldy & David Werier (2013) New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York.

[9] New York Natural Heritage Program. 2024. Online Conservation Guide for Lachnanthes caroliniana. Endangered, S1/G4.

[10] Pontederiaceae Troy Weldy & David Werier (2013) New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York.

[11] Weldy, Troy, David Werier, and Andrew Nelson. 2018 New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York.

[12] "Invasive Species → Water Hyacinth." Western New York PRISM. 2018.

[13] Cannaceae Troy Weldy & David Werier (2013) New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, New York.

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