Wandering Jew

Commelina africana, the common yellow commelina, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the family Commelinaceae.^[2] It is native to Sub‑Saharan Africa, Madagascar, Réunion, and the Arabian Peninsula, and has been introduced to India.^[1] It is occasionally consumed as a leaf vegetable, and occasionally fed to rabbits and pigs.^[3][4]

Subtaxa

The following subtaxa are accepted:^[1]

• Commelina africana subsp. africana
• Commelina africana var. glabriuscula (Norl.) Brenan – Southern Africa, Rift Valley
• Commelina africana var. karooica (C.B.Clarke) Govaerts – Namibia, Botswana, South Africa
• Commelina africana var. krebsiana (Kunth) C.B.Clarke – Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Comoros
• Commelina africana var. lancispatha C.B.Clarke – Sierra Leone, eastern, central and southern Africa
• Commelina africana var. milleri Brenan – Namibia, Botswana, Northern Provinces, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
• Commelina africana var. villosior (C.B.Clarke) Brenan – Most of range
• Commelina africana subsp. zanzibarica Faden – Kenya, Tanzania, and introduced to India

References