OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Commelinales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Tradescantia subaspera   FAMILY Commelinaceae   Go to FSUS key



INCLUDING PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Tradescantia subaspera var. subaspera   FAMILY Commelinaceae

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Tradescantia subaspera var. montana

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Tradescantia subaspera var. subaspera

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 22 (2000)

Tradescantia subaspera

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Tradescantia subaspera var. montana

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Tradescantia subaspera var. subaspera

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 038-03-002:

Tradescantia subaspera   FAMILY Commelinaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Tradescantia pilosa

INCLUDING -

Tradescantia montana

 

COMMON NAME:
Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913    pnd_trmo13_001_lvd

        

var. montana

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913    pnd_trpi8_001_lvd

        

var. subaspera

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm200425_4145

April    Pickens County    SC

Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm200425_4146

April    Pickens County    SC

Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm140519_883

May    Jackson County    NC

Big Ridge Preserve

Var. montana - its size is generally less than that of var. subaspera, per Weakley's Flora (2012).

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm140519_894

May    Jackson County    NC

Big Ridge Preserve

Var. montana - its stems are straight or only slightly zigzag, per Weakley's Flora (2012).

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm230509_3092

May    Pickens County    SC

Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm230509_3098

May    Pickens County    SC

Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve

Sepals 7-10mm long, pubescent at least apically, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm230509_3117

May    Pickens County    SC

Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm0506d_08

June    Rutherford County    NC

Chimney Rock Park

Leaves 15-35cm long, 0.6-4.5cm wide. Plant glabrous or pubescent, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm150607_290b

June    McDowell County?    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm190604_8892

June    Greenville County    SC

Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area

Var. subaspera's stem conspicuously zigzag (except depauperate or juveniles), per Weakley's Flora (2018).

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm190618_9294

June    Greenville County    SC

Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area

A white-flowered individual ...

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

Keith Bradley    kab_t_subaspera_9988

June    Burke County    NC

Pisgah National Forest

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm0407f_15b

July    Transylvania County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

Flowers distinctly pedicillate; petals distinct, broadly ovate, not clawed, per Flora of North America.

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_063

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

Leaves 0.6-4.5cm wide (upper leaf blades wider than opened flattened sheath), per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_064

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

Our Spiderworts have cymes of flowers growing out of leaflike bracts, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).

image of Tradescantia subaspera, Zigzag Spiderwort, Wide-leaved Spiderwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_065

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

The 6 fertile stamens have bearded filaments, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Tradescantia subaspera   FAMILY Commelinaceae

INCLUDING PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Tradescantia subaspera var. subaspera   FAMILY Commelinaceae

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Tradescantia subaspera var. montana

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Tradescantia subaspera var. subaspera

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 22
Tradescantia subaspera

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Tradescantia subaspera var. montana

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Tradescantia subaspera var. subaspera

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 038-03-002:
Tradescantia subaspera   FAMILY Commelinaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Tradescantia pilosa

INCLUDING -
Tradescantia montana

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

1522

Forb
Perennial

Habitat: Dry to mesic woodlands and forests, hammocks, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common (uncommon in NC Piedmont) (rare in Coastal Plain)

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate

FLOWER:
Summer
Blue
Pedicel 1-1.7cm long
Radially symmetrical
3-merous
3 sepals
3 petals
6 fertile stamens (bearded)
Superior ovary
Bisexual

FRUIT:
Summer
Capsule

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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