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Ernest's spiderwort

Ozark spiderwort

Habit Herbs, erect or ascending, rarely rooting at nodes. Herbs, erect or ascending, rarely rooting at nodes.
Roots

(1–)1.5–5 mm thick, fleshy.

Stems

not flexuous, 5–40 cm;

internodes usually glabrous.

not flexuous, 10–50 cm;

internodes glabrous to pilose.

Leaves

spirally arranged, sessile;

blade dull green, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, 9–27 × 1–4 cm (distal leaf blades wider than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), base cuneate to rounded, apex acuminate, not glaucous, glabrous or sparsely puberulent.

spirally arranged, sessile;

blade silvery or gray-green, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate or linear-oblong, 8–28 × 1–6 cm (distal leaf blades wider than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), base ± rounded to cuneate, apex acuminate, ± glaucous, usually glabrous.

Inflorescences

terminal;

bracts foliaceous.

all or mostly terminal;

bracts foliaceous.

Flowers

distinctly pedicillate;

pedicels 2–3.2 cm, minutely pilose;

sepals somewhat inflated, 9–16 mm, uniformly eglandular-pilose;

petals distinct, deep blue, purple, or rose-red, broadly ovate, not clawed, 1.2–1.5 cm;

stamens free;

filaments bearded.

distinctly pedicillate;

pedicels 2–3.2 cm, glandular-pilosulose;

sepals 6–12 mm, sparsely to densely glandular-pilosulose;

petals distinct, white or pale pink to pale lavender, broadly ovate, not clawed, 1.2–1.6 cm;

stamens free.

Capsules

5–7 mm.

6–8 mm.

Seeds

2–3 mm.

3–4 mm.

2n

= 12.

= 12, 24.

Tradescantia ernestiana

Tradescantia ozarkana

Phenology Flowering spring (Mar–May). Flowering spring (Apr–May).
Habitat Wooded hillsides, ledges and bluffs, occasionally along streams or in pastures Rich woods, mainly on rocky slopes and along cliffs, occasionally in bottomlands
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; GA; MO; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; MO; OK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Tradescantia ernestiana is sympatric with, and easily confused with, T. virginiana in northern Alabama and perhaps northern Georgia [reported from Georgia by C. Sinclair (1967, p. 87), but no specimens are cited and I have seen none]. At present, the two species can be separated only by the relative width of the blade and sheath of the distal leaves. They are obviously closely related and should be studied in the field in the southern Appalachians where their ranges overlap. The Texas record is taken from C. Sinclair (1967).

The hybrid Tradescantia ernestinana × T. ozarkana is known from Arkansas and Missouri.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Tradescantia ozarkana is endemic to the Ozarks.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 22. FNA vol. 22.
Parent taxa Commelinaceae > Tradescantia Commelinaceae > Tradescantia
Sibling taxa
T. bracteata, T. brevifolia, T. buckleyi, T. crassifolia, T. crassula, T. edwardsiana, T. fluminensis, T. gigantea, T. hirsuticaulis, T. hirsutiflora, T. humilis, T. leiandra, T. longipes, T. occidentalis, T. ohiensis, T. ozarkana, T. pallida, T. paludosa, T. pedicellata, T. pinetorum, T. reverchonii, T. roseolens, T. spathacea, T. subacaulis, T. subaspera, T. tharpii, T. virginiana, T. wrightii, T. zebrina
T. bracteata, T. brevifolia, T. buckleyi, T. crassifolia, T. crassula, T. edwardsiana, T. ernestiana, T. fluminensis, T. gigantea, T. hirsuticaulis, T. hirsutiflora, T. humilis, T. leiandra, T. longipes, T. occidentalis, T. ohiensis, T. pallida, T. paludosa, T. pedicellata, T. pinetorum, T. reverchonii, T. roseolens, T. spathacea, T. subacaulis, T. subaspera, T. tharpii, T. virginiana, T. wrightii, T. zebrina
Name authority E. S. Anderson & Woodson: Contr. Arnold Arbor. 9: 58, plate 8, map 4. (1935) E. S. Anderson & Woodson: Contr. Arnold Arbor. 9: 56, plate 12, map 3. (1935)
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