Asian dayflower

Description

Murdannia keisak has narrow leaves arranged in two rows, resembling a grass. It belongs to the Commelinaceae family, similar to Tradescantia and Callisia repens houseplants. Most species of Murdannia are terrestrial plants, but M. keisak is an aquatic or bog plant. It is native to warmer regions of Asia, introduced to southeast USA with rice seeds, and also found in Italy. This plant grows in various moist areas, including road ditches, riverbanks, lakeshores, bogs, and rice paddies. Its stems float just below the surface, while shoot tips grow above. As a terrestrial plant, it has a creeping growth habit.