Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan

Naked Stem Dewflower; Dove Weed

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Naked Stem Dewflower is an introduced herbaceous annual in the Spiderwort family (Commelinaceae). It is native to Asia. In Alabama, it can be found in the southern half of the state. Naked Stem Dewflower occurs as a greenhouse weed, a lawn weed, on roadsides, and along rivers and creeks. It prefers moist sites. The first collection of this species in Alabama occurred in 1956 in a lawn in Mobile County. It is a low growing, often mat forming species with branched or unbranched stems up to 10 inches in length. The stems often root at the nodes. The thick leaves are spirally arranged on the green succulent stems, but appear to be alternately arranged. The leaves are sessile, glabrous or sparsley pubescent, linear to lanceolate in outline, with entire margins. Flowers are produced in terminal or axillary cymes consisting of 1-5 flowers. Flowers are long pedunculate and consist of 3 greenish sepals and 3 purple or lavender petals. The fruit is a capsule with 6 deeply pitted or wrinkled seed. Naked Stem Dewflower is an aggressive weed in greenhouses and in turfgrass. It is classified as one of the world's worst weeds, and is a serious weed in rice plantings from India to Japan. It has spread to tropical and subtropical areas around the world. As bits of stem will root easily, it is often spread by mowers or weedeaters.--A. Diamond

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Not Native FAC (NWPL)

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