Compilation
Tradescantia spathacea

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Name

Identification
Tradescantia spathacea Sw. [family SPATHACEA ] (stored under name); Rhoeo discolor Hance [family COMMELINACEAE ]
Related name
  • Tradescantia spathacea
  • Tradescantia discolor
  • Rhoeo discolor
Common name
  • oyster-plant, Flora of North America Vol. 22
  • Moses-in-the-cradle, Flora of North America Vol. 22
  • boat-lily, Flora of North America Vol. 22

Flora

Entry for Tradescantia spathacea Swartz [family COMMELINACEAE]
Herbarium
Flora of North America (FNA)
Collection
Flora of North America
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of North America, Vol 22,
Names
Tradescantia spathacea Swartz [family COMMELINACEAE], Prodr., 57. 1788
Rhoeo discolor (L'Héritier) Hance ex Walpers [family COMMELINACEAE]
Rhoeo spathacea (Swartz) Stearn [family COMMELINACEAE]
Information
Herbs, erect or ascending, rarely rooting at nodes. Stems unbranched, short. Leaves spirally arranged; blade usually abaxially purple, adaxially green, strap-shaped, to 35 ´ 5 cm (distal leaf blades wider or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), leathery, succulent, glabrous. Inflorescences axillary, sessile, or pedunculate in axils well below shoot apex, cymes enclosed in pairs of boat-shaped spathes. Flowers distinctly pedicillate; pedicels glabrous; sepals distinct, white, 3--6 mm, glabrous; petals distinct, white, ovate, not clawed; stamens free; filaments bearded. Capsules 3- or (by abortion) 2-locular, 3--4 mm. Seeds 1 per locule, 3--4 mm. 2n = 12 (Belize).
Phenology
Flowering winter (Jan)
Distribution
USA Fla.
Discussion
Tradescantia spathacea is native to southern Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies.
Native/Introduced
introduced

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