Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated plants
Tradescantia fluminensis
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Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba
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| Synonyms: |
Tradescantia albiflora Kunth Tradescantia laekenensis L.H.Bailey & E.Z.Bailey |
| Common names: | Inch plant (English) River spiderwort (English) Small-leaved spiderwort (English) Wandering gypsy (English) Wandering Jew (English) Wandering trad (English) Wandering willie (English) |
| Description: | Spreading prostrate perennial with soft, hairless stems rooting at the nodes. Leaves oblong-elliptic, 32–64 mm long, hairless dark-green, shiny, slightly fleshy. Flowers in small clusters, white, 13–25 mm in diameter with with three equal petals. |
| Notes: | This fleshy, creeping species has become locally naturalised in the Vumba. It was absolutely rampant on our property (Ndundu Lodge) and did escape onto the forest floor. I also clearly remember it escaped all over the forest near Genaina Lodge. (Bart Wursten, in litt., 2014). |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Native to tropical South America, cultivated in gardens and escaping elsewhere in the tropics where it may become invasive. |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Bromilow, C. (2010). Problem Plants and Alien Weeds of South Africa Briza Publications, South Africa Page 327. (Includes a picture). |
Other sources of information about Tradescantia fluminensis:
Our websites:
Flora of Zimbabwe: Tradescantia fluminensisExternal websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Tradescantia fluminensisAfrican Plant Database: Tradescantia fluminensis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Tradescantia fluminensis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Tradescantia fluminensis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Tradescantia fluminensis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Tradescantia fluminensis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Tradescantia fluminensis
JSTOR Plant Science: Tradescantia fluminensis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Tradescantia fluminensis
Plants of the World Online: Tradescantia fluminensis
Tropicos: Tradescantia fluminensis
Wikipedia: Tradescantia fluminensis