Tradescantia zebrina

inchplant
Wandering Jew
Tradescantia zebrina
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Commelinales
Family: Commelinaceae
Genus: Tradescantia
Species: T. zebrina
Binomial name
Tradescantia zebrina
(Schinz) D. R. Hunt
Synonyms

Tradescantia pendula
Zebrina pendula
Zebrina pendula var. quadrifolia
Inchplant
Wandering Jew

Tradescantia zebrina, formerly known as Zebrina pendula, is a species of spiderwort more commonly known as an inch plant or wandering jew. The common name is shared with closely related varieties T. fluminensis and T. pallida. Tradescantia zebrina is native to Mexico, Central America and Colombia, and naturalized in parts of Asia, Africa, Australia, South America, and various oceanic islands.[1][2][3]

Varieties[1]
  1. Tradescantia zebrina var. flocculosa (G.Brückn.) D.R.Hunt - tropical Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras
  2. Tradescantia zebrina var. mollipila D.R.Hunt - tropical Mexico
  3. Tradescantia zebrina var. zebrina - most of Mexico from north to south, Central America, Colombia

Description

Tradescantia zebrina has attractive zebra-patterned leaves, the upper surface showing purple new growth and green older growth parallel to the central axis, as well as two broad silver-colored stripes on the outer edges, with the lower leaf surface presenting a deep uniform magenta.

Uses

Cultivation

It is commonly available and used as a houseplant and groundcover. Propagated by cuttings, this plant can be moved or manipulated easily as its runners cling lightly to the ground (if used as cover). It tends to become an Invasive species if not properly maintained.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[4]

Medicinal

It is used in southeast Mexico in the region of Tabasco, as a cold herbal tea, which is named Matali. Also used as a lubricant in China.

Skin irritation may result from repeated contact with or prolonged handling of the plant — particularly from the clear, watery sap (a characteristic unique to T. zebrina as compared with the other aforementioned types).

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ↑ Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
  3. ↑ CONABIO. 2009. Catálogo taxonómico de especies de México. 1. In Capital Nat. México. CONABIO, México D.F..
  4. ↑ "RHS Plant Selector - Tradescantia zebrina". Retrieved 5 July 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tradescantia zebrina.