Commelina erecta, commonly known as the white mouth dayflower, slender dayflower, or widow's tears, is a perennial herb native throughout the Americas, Africa and western Asia.

Commelina erecta is native to much of the world, including the Americas, Africa and western Asia.

In the United States it can be found from New York and Nebraska in the north, south to Florida and Texas.

In west Africa it is present in Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria, and Bioko.

In the West Indies it is common in disturbed sites as well as in dry to moist woods from sea level up to 1300 meters.