It was on a late morning walk, when everyone was walking with their heads up after viewing a breeding herd of buffalo at one of the dams, when suddenly, one of my guests was trying to tie his shoe laces, and one of the grasses draw his attention. With a flower with a light blue colour, he called me to have a look at this beautiful plant on the ground. I immediately I started to think of names that this plant might be, like Benghal Wandering Jew, Blue Mouse ears, Venus Bath and many other names of this lovely blue wild flower belonging to the Commelinaceae family. During this time of the year, in this area, we have 25 different species in Southern Africa and in Brazil. There are 3 of the Commelina species that are poisonous to humans. This plant it is well known from Southern Africa to countries far like India, Tanzania and Islands of Philippines, Madagascar and Mauritius, where the plant have been used as a cure for fever, swollen glands, leprosy, dysentery, sore throats, sore eyes, infertility, burns and many more ailments.

Story by Kallie (River Lodge)

2014/01/16