Doll's powder puff
Cyanotis speciosa

Family: Commelinaceae

What it is like

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are in rings near the base. They are 20 cm long and 1 cm wide. The flowering stems are slender and 60 cm long. The uppermost leaves on these stems have dense compact flowers in their axils. The flower petals are violet or blue. The anthers are right yellow.

Where it is found

A subtropical plant. It grows in hot arid places. It grows in places with a marked dry season. It grows between 10-2,316 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, East Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are eaten raw or cooked.

It is a famine food. It is of average palatability.

Edible parts

Herb, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Hotekao, Inginga, Inkombo, Insonga, Kitija, Nkongo, Udabulamafi

Synonyms

Commelina speciosa (L.f.) Thunb.; Cyanotis nodiflora (Lam.) Kunth; Tonningia nodiflora (Lam.) Kuntze; Tonningia speciosa (L.f.) Raf.; Tradescantia formosa Willd.; Tradescantia nodiflora Lam.; Tradescantia speciosa L.f.;