New Record of Hybanthus enneaspermus in Singapore

Voila! It is Violaceae - the Violet Family!

After two days of mental acrobatics, I finally identified this wild herb I found growing amongst grasses by the wayside recently.

Hybanthus enneaspermus or Spade Flower has a distribution  ranging from the African and Indian continent to South East Asia, New Guinea and Australia.

This discovery, however, records its occurrence in Singapore for the very first time.

Low spreading Herb with tap root. 

Flowers short-lived, opening at dawn and closing up by 11am.

Orientation of flowers. 

The Lesser Grass Blue butterfly inserting it's proboscis to sip nectar from the spur of the flower. 

Size of flower. Leaves and stems covers by fine glandulous short hairs.

Seeds from capsule which split into three valves.