Tradescantia ernestiana
Tradescantia pedicellata
Ernest's spiderwort
Edwards Plateau spiderwort
(1–)1.5–5 mm thick, fleshy.
some tuberous, thick.
not flexuous, 5–40 cm;
internodes usually glabrous.
spreading and diffuse, much branched, mainly from base, pubescent with glandular hairs, eglandular hairs, or mixture.
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.
recurved and somewhat lax;
blade dark green to yellowish green, linear-lanceolate, mostly 20–30 × 0.5–1.0 cm (distal leaf blades equal to or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), sparsely to densely pubescent.
terminal;
bracts foliaceous.
terminal, solitary, or more commonly also with lateral, pedunculate inflorescences;
bracts foliaceous, similar to leaves in form, sparsely to densely pubescent.
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 2.5–4.5 cm, densely pubescent with medium to long, glandular hairs;
sepals 6–11 mm, densely pubescent with glandular hairs like those of pedicels, occasionally with a few eglandular hairs;
petals distinct, pink to dark blue, broadly ovate, not clawed;
stamens free;
filaments bearded.
5–7 mm.
2–3 mm.
2–4 mm;
hilum as long as seed.
= 12.
= 12.
Tradescantia ernestiana
Tradescantia pedicellata
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 pedicellata is a most unsatisfactory species. The species may have arisen as a hybrid between Tradescantia humilis and T. occidentalis and been recognized as a species because of its constant morphology and high pollen fertility (R. P. Celarier 1956). C. Sinclair (1967) concluded, however, that there was no evidence for the species' existence, and I have found it very difficult to recognize specimens that agree with the original description (no type has been located).
Tradescantia diffusa Bush, a name overlooked by E. Anderson and R. E. Woodson Jr. (1935), has been considered the correct name for this plant (D. T. MacRoberts 1978). After examining the type of T. diffusa, I concluded that it was conspecific with the type of T. humilis.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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