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inchplant, wandering-jew

succulent spiderwort

Habit Herbs, decumbent. Herbs, decumbent, rooting at nodes.
Leaves

2-ranked;

blade variegated, abaxially reddish purple, adaxially striped green and white, lanceolate-elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 3–9 × 1.5–3 cm (distal leaf blades wider or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), base oblique, cuneate, apex acute to acuminate.

2-ranked;

blade lanceolate-oblong to ovate-elliptic, 5–10 × 2–3.5 cm (distal leaf blades wider or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), margins ciliolate, apex acute, glabrous.

Inflorescences

terminal, consisting of pairs of sessile cymes enclosed in sheaths of spathaceous bracts, pedunculate; spathaceous bracts foliaceous, reduced.

terminal and axillary from distal leaf axils, 2–4 cyme pairs per stem;

bracts foliaceous or more commonly reduced (especially in axillary inflorescences).

Flowers

subsessile;

sepals basally connate, 4–5 mm;

petals pink, clawed, claws basally connate forming tube;

stamens epipetalous;

filaments bearded.

distinctly pedicillate;

pedicels 1–2 cm, glandular-pilose especially toward apex;

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

petals distinct, white, not clawed, 9 mm;

stamens free;

filaments white, densely bearded with white hairs.

Capsules

3-locular;

locules 2-seeded.

Tradescantia zebrina

Tradescantia crassula

Phenology Flowering fall–winter (Sep–Feb). Flowering spring (May).
Habitat Hummocks and weedy places Under live oaks
Distribution
from FNA
FL; native; tropical America [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; South America [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
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. 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. bracteata, T. brevifolia, T. buckleyi, T. crassifolia, 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
Synonyms Zebrina pendula
Name authority Hort ex Bosse: Vollstandiges Handb. Blumengart. 4: 655. (1849) Link & Otto: Icon. Pl. Rar. 2: 13, plate 7. (1828)
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