Addisonia 15 



(Plate 232) 



TRADESCANTIA VIRGINIANA 

 Spiderwort 



Native of the eastern United States 



Family Commeunaceae Spiderwort Family 



Tradescantia virginiana L. Sp. PI. 288. 1753. 



The name Tradescantia, like that of several genera of plants 

 originally designated to honor one man, really serves to com- 

 memorate the botanical activities of several. The elder John 

 Tradescant, who lived prior to 1638, served as gardener to Charles 

 the First of England, while his son of the same name was in the 

 employ of Charles the Second, in the same capacity as his father. 



The subject of the accompanying illustration was the species 

 Linnaeus had in mind when he proposed the genus Tradescantia, 

 in fact, it was the only species known to him as late as 1753. 



It is the widespread species of the eastern United States, espe- 

 cially since it has become naturalized northeastward of its natural 

 geographic range. This spiderwort, with a root-system adapted to 

 thriving in various kinds of soils, through long ages of growing in 

 low and wet meadows as well as on high and dry hillsides, is suitable 

 for cultivation in a variety of soils and situations. The stems 

 usually grow in clusters or colonies and support firmly the long 

 graceful leaves. Although the leaves are alternate, two of the upper 

 ones appear to be paired because of their proximity to each other. 

 The bases of the foliage leaves are more or less sheathing; those of 

 the paired leaves are somewhat dilated and form an involucre in 

 which the dense cluster of flowers is seated. The flowers are erect 

 in anthesis when the corolla remains open for a few hours. After 

 anthesis the pedicel curves downward and in this position the 

 capsule is formed and matured. The corolla is usually a purplish 

 blue (exceptionally white), a color not too frequent in such of our 

 wild plants as also thrive under the abnormal conditions to which 

 they are often subjected in cultivation. 



On account of its wide range, this spiderwort, in nature, may be 

 found flowering among the Virginia-cowslips (Mertensia) and forget- 

 me-nots (Myosotis) of the meadows or alongside of the columbines 

 (Aquilegia) and rock-cresses (Arabis) of the hillsides. 



