Common name: Wandering Jew
Tradescantia fluminensis Vell. APNI* Synonyms: Tradescantia albiflora Kunth APNI*
Description: Perennial, ± succulent herb with fibrous roots; stems branching, rooting at the nodes, prostrate or slightly ascending at the tips.
Leaves subsessile, glabrous; lamina ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 2.5–5.5 cm long, 1–2.5 cm broad, subcordate at the base; sheath 5–8 mm long, ciliate at the orifice.
Flowers 15–20 per inflorescence, pedicels 1–2 cm long. Sepals green, 5–8 mm long. Petals white, broadly ovate to elliptical, 7–10 mm long. Staminal filaments bearded with long white hairs.
Flowering: Spring to Summer; later in warmer parts of the State.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in higher rainfall areas of the State; also in Qld and Vic. Native of South America. Widely naturalised garden escape found on creek banks and in shaded places, especially in rainforest.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *NWS, *CWS, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *Tas.
Declared Noxious Weed Often difficult to eradicate as it grows readily from fragments of stems. Also known by the name Tradescantia albiflora.
Text by Peter G. Wilson
Taxon concept: Flora NSW, vol 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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