NC Common Wetland Plants Guide: Murdannia keisak

Coefficient of Conservatism Values (more info)

Mountains

Piedmont

Coastal Plain

National Wetland Plant List Status (more info)

Eastern Mountains/Piedmont

OBL

Coastal Plain

OBL

FIELD ID CHARACTERISTICS:

Grass-like appearance with trailing stems. Bases of leaves become fuzzy hairy sheaths on stems.

Synonym(s): Aneilema keisak

Description: Trailing herb forming dense mats. Stems often root at nodes.

Leaves: Alternate, linear or lance-shaped leaves, about 6 cm long and 1 cm wide. Bases of leaves become fuzzy hairy sheaths on stems.

Flowers/Fruit: Lavender or pinkish flowers with 3 petals and 3 sepals. Fruits are a rounded oblong shape, with sepals attached. Flowering and fruiting August to October.

Habit and Range: Margins of streams, ponds and marshes in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of North Carolina.

Typical Max Plant Height (m):

0.5

Leaf Arrangement:

Alternate

Leaf Division:

Simple

Leaf Margin:

Entire

Leaf Shape:

Linear, Lance-shaped (Lanceolate)

Inflorescence Color:

Purple, Pink

Fruit Color:

Green, Yellow

Lifespan:

Perennial

Group:

Monocot

Family:

Commelinaceae / Dayflower

Ecoregions Found In:

Statewide

COMMON CONFUSIONS:

Sometimes Murdannia keisak (wart-removing herb) looks similar to Commelina spp. (dayflower) which have wider and longer leaves and three-petaled blue flowers. Commelina also tends to grow in the shade but Murdannia keisak prefers sunny, wetter spots.

Click here to view Commelina virginica.

Link to side-by-side comparisons page