TRADESCANTIA
Tradescantia
Ruppius ex L., Sp. Pl. 1: 288. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5: 139. 1754; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 24: 38; Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras.org vol. 22: 173; Rhoeo Hance; Setcreasea Schumann & Sydow; Zebrina Schnizlein.
Perennial herbs. Rhizome absent. Stems decumbent, ascending or erect. Leaves spirally arranged, distichous; blade sessile, rarely petiolate. Inflorescences terminal or terminal and axillary, cymes in pairs, sessile, umbel-like, contracted, subtended by involucral or spathaceous bracts, bracts similar to leaves or differentiated, margins distinct; bracteoles persistent. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, pedicels very short or well-developed. Sepals 3, free or connate at base, subequal, boat-shaped. Petals 3, free or connate at base, with or without claws, ovate, white or pink to blue or violet. Stamens 6, all fertile, mostly equal; filaments bearded or glabrous; anther-thecae ellipsoid or oblong, longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary 3-locular; ovules (1-)2 per loculus, uniseriate. Capsules 3-valved, 3-locular. Seeds 2 per loculus, 1 per loculus in T. spathacea.
86 species
Tradescantia pallida
Tradescantia pallida
(Rose) D. R. Hunt, Kew Bull. 30: 452. 1975; Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras.org vol. 22; T. striata Mottet, Dict. Prat. Hort. 5: 307. 1898-1899.
Perennial herbs, succulent. Stem first erect, later lying on ground as creeping herb, about 40 cm long, purple. Leaves spirally arranged, purple, 7-17 cm x 1.5-4 cm, lanceolate-oblong to oblong-elliptic, base symmetric, rounded to broadly cuneate, margins of young leaves ciliate or ciliolate, apex acute, glabrous or glabrescent; leaf sheath 1.5-1.7 cm long, enclosing the stem partially or completely, margin ciliate. Inflorescence terminal, often becoming leaf-opposed, cymes in pairs, pedunculate, peduncles 3.5-11 mm long, umbel-like, contracted, subtended by 2 curved involucral bracts, bracts similar to leaves but usually greatly reduced. Flowers ca. 2.5 cm long and 2 cm across, bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous, subsessile, pedicels 4-9 mm long, densely white pilose at summit; flower bracts 8 mm x 3-4 mm, membranous. Sepals 3, connate at base forming ca. 5 mm long tube, lobes ca. 7 mm long, pilose basally, white, membranous. Corolla ca. 2.5 cm long, petals 3, connate at base, lobes ca. 1.2 cm x 1 cm, imbricate, shortly clawed, pink. Stamens 6, epipetalous at base, filaments ca. 8 mm long, sparsely white pilose (bearded) nearly in middle; anthers 1 mm x 2 mm, bithecous, thecae narrow, connective broad, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovary ca. 2 mm long, 3- locular, 1 ovule per loculus, style ca. 1.2 mm long, stigma capitate, triangular or shallowly trilobed.
Capsules ca. 3.5 mm, glabrous, trilocular, each locule with one seed. Seeds 2.5-3 mm. (Capsules not observed)
Common Names: Purple Heart, Wandering Jew, Purple Queen
