NAKEDSTEM DEWFLOWER

CAUTION: Due to oxalate content, you should cook this plant before consumption. Some, myself included, feel that small amounts may be added atop salads, or consumed as a trailside nibble. garden.org tells us that it "can cause serious contact dermatitis in dogs, especially the small, lower to the ground toy breeds." This is probably their general warning concerning species of Commelinaceae.  

MAIN PHOTO: Pinebrook Park, Venice, FL, October 10, 2016.
EDIBLE GREENS:
- INDIA: "It is eaten as a vegetable during famine in India, considered as a palatable vegetable elsewhere." (Holm et al., 1977; Soerjani et al., 1987).  —"Used locally in the treatment of asthma, leprosy and piles. Root paste wit goat milk is prescribed orally to cure asthma. Whole plant paste with common salt is applied on the affected area t cure leprosy (Panda and Misra, 2011)." [5] —The “herb is cooked in oil employed in the treatment of leprosy.” 

- CHINA: In the book Food Plants of China, this "unusual" potherb is mentioned as having "young shoots, used in soup." [8] It is cultivated by Boston area gardeners of Chinese decent, having been brought from Hong Kong to China. [8] —It is also listed as a medicinal plant in China in a publication by the —Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, China.
- VIETNAM: According to an article from Vietnam [6], the "young leaves" are used for food.  Edible wild plants are usually called “Rau Rng” in Vietnam. “Rau Rng” literally means wild vegetable grown in forest.
- ?AFRICA: It is noted to be a commonly cultivated plant in parts of Africa, although the websites that mention this leave out details of why it is cultivated, or in which countries.
MEDICINAL USES: Medicinally, it is used in traditional Malay, Indian, and Chinese traditional medicine.
- EXTERNAL USES: It has been used often as an external poultice for wounds, sores, etc.
- INDIA: —The book Indian Medicinal Plants writes, "Plant used in burns, boils, and sores." [7]
- INDONESIA: The "leaves are used as poultice in Indonesia." (Holm et al., 1977; Soerjani et al., 1987).
LIVESTOCK FODDER: Chickens, ducks, rabbits, cattle and goats will eat it as forage. The Invasive Species Compendium writes, "M. nudiflora is used as fodder for animals in several countries, but Holm et al. (1977) considered that the high moisture content meant that it was not of much forage value."

NATIVE TO: —India, Bangladesh, Bhutan. [2] Naturalized in many countries, including China.  In Florida, it grows wild in most counties across the state.
DESCRIPTION:
- STEMS: Creeping stolon, "that can produce roots from their nodes." [1]
- LEAVES: Lanceolate. "Thick with a shiny, rubbery texture." [1]
- FLOWERS: Three light purple petals. "Flowers open only for a few hours, then wilt." [2]
- SEEDS: "The fruit is a spherical capsule that usually has three seeds." [1]
CULTURE:
- PROPAGATION: Stems root easily at the nodes.
WEED: It is sprayed with Glyphosate and other chemicals by lawn services. The University of Florida encourages this chemical spraying, and fails to mention any of its edible, medicinal, or animal forage uses... shame on them.