Tradescantia fluminensis Vell.

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Tradescantia fluminensis

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

Tradescantia fluminensis

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

Tradescantia fluminensis

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:
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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 fluminensis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Tradescantia fluminensis
African 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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated Plants: Species information: Tradescantia fluminensis.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/cult/species.php?species_id=163910, retrieved 28 March 2024

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