Tradescantia spathacea

Tradescantia spathacea, the boatlily[2] or Moses-in-the-cradle, is a herb in the Commelinaceae family first described in 1788. It is native to Belize, Guatemala, and southern Mexico (Chiapas, Tabasco, and the Yucatán Peninsula) but widely cultivated as an ornamental and naturalized in parts of Florida, Texas, Hawaii, and various oceanic islands.[3][4][5]

Tradescantia spathacea
Tradescantia spathacea
Scientific classificationedit
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Tracheophytes
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Monocots
Clade:Commelinids
Order:Commelinales
Family:Commelinaceae
Genus:Tradescantia
Species:
T. spathacea
Binomial name
Tradescantia spathacea
Sw.
Synonyms[1]
List
    • Ephemerum bicolor Moench
    • Rhoeo discolor (L'Hér.) Hance
    • Rhoeo spathacea (Sw.) Stearn
    • Rhoeo spathacea f. concolor (Baker) Stehlé
    • Rhoeo spathacea f. variegata (Hook.) Stehlé
    • Tradescantia discolor L'Hér.
    • Tradescantia discolor var. concolor Baker
    • Tradescantia discolor var. variegata Hook.
    • Tradescantia versicolor Salisb.

DescriptionEdit

Tradescantia spathacea has fleshy rhizomes and rosettes of waxy lance-shaped leaves. Leaves are dark to metallic green above, with glossy purple underneath. These will reach up to 0.30 m (1 ft) long by 76 mm (3 in) wide. They are very attractive foliage plants that will reach 0.30 m (1 ft) tall. They are hardy in USDA zones 9-12 and are also grown as ornamental houseplants.

InvasivenessEdit

Tradescantia spathacea has naturalized in Florida and Louisiana and is listed as a Category II invasive exotic species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. "This means Invasive exotics that have increased in abundance or frequency but have not yet altered Florida plant communities to the extent shown by Category I species. These species may become ranked Category I if ecological damage is demonstrated."[6]

Ornmental houseplant cultivar of Tradescantia spathacea showing the compound inflorescence inside bracts which lends the name "boat lily"


This article uses material from the Wikipedia article
 Metasyntactic variable, which is released under the 
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