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small-leaf spiderwort, white-flower wandering jew

leatherleaf spiderwort

Habit Herbs, decumbent, rooting at nodes. Herbs, erect, rarely rooting at nodes.
Roots

tuberous, thick.

Stems

unbranched or sparsely branched, arachnoid-villous.

Leaves

2-ranked;

blade lanceolate-elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–5 × 1–2 cm (distal leaf blades wider or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), margins ciliolate, apex acute, glabrous.

2-ranked, narrowing toward shoot apex;

blade lanceolate-elliptic to ovate, 4–15 × 2–3.5 cm (distal leaf blades wider or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), base cordate-clasping, sparsely pilose to densely arachnoid-villous.

Inflorescences

terminal, becoming leaf-opposed, sometimes axillary from distalmost leaf axil, 1–2 cyme pairs per stem;

bracts mostly foliaceous, occasionally reduced.

terminal, 1–4 axillary, sessile in axils of distal reduced leaves, boat-shaped spathes absent.

Flowers

distinctly pedicillate;

pedicels 1–1.5 cm, glandular-pilose;

sepals 5–7 mm, midrib pilose with eglandular hairs;

petals distinct, white, not clawed, 8–9 mm;

stamens free;

filaments white, densely bearded with white hairs.

distinctly pedicillate;

pedicels 0.6–1.4 cm, densely arachnoid-villous;

sepals 6.5–8 mm, pilose to densely arachnoid-pubescent;

petals distinct, rose-purple to bluish, not clawed, 10–15 mm;

stamens free;

filaments bearded.

Capsules

3.5–4 mm.

Seeds

2 mm.

2n

= 12, 24, 24+ (Mexico).

Tradescantia fluminensis

Tradescantia crassifolia

Phenology Flowering spring–fall. Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat Woods, roadsides, and open areas, sometimes as weed Specific habitat unkown
Distribution
from FNA
AL; CA; FL; LA; native; South America (Brazil–Argentina); Africa (South Africa); Australia [Introduced in North America; introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
TX; Mexico; to Central America (Guatemala)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

This species was recorded north to North Carolina (J. K. Small 1933), but I have not seen any supporting records from Georgia or North Carolina.

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

Although not recorded in any U.S. flora or checklist, Tradescantia crassifolia has been added to the flora based on an old collection from the Chenati Mountains in Texas. Another specimen labeled New Mexico is considered less credible.

(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. ernestiana, 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. crassula, T. edwardsiana, T. ernestiana, 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
Name authority Vellozo: Florae Fluminensis 140; plate vol. 3, 152. (1829) Cavanilles: Icon. 1: 54, plate 75. (1791)
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