Commelinaceae

Spiderwort Family

By: George Rogers

A medium-sized family of about 35 genera and 500 species in warm climates (BA1). Plants herbaceous, often semisucculent, with alternate, strap-shaped, often-striped leaves, these frequently with purple coloration, especially on the undersides. Flowers enclosed in boat-shaped spathe, delicate, with 3 sepals and 3, usually purplish, bluish, or white petals, and 6 stamens having fuzzy filaments. Sap often irritating.

Key to Important Commelinaceae Cultivated in South Florida

1. Leaves puckered…Seersucker Plant (Geogenanthus undatus)

1. Leaves smooth or longitudinally ribbed…2

2. Plants with erect stems over a foot tall; leaves scattered along stem; flowers blue…Blue Ginger (Dichorisandra species)

2. Plants with leaves either in a rosette or on horizontal or dangling stems; flowers white or purplish…3

3. Leaves scattered along stem…4

3. Leaves in rosettes…5

4. Leaf blades solid purple, usually > 3” long…Purple Heart, Setcreasea (Tradescantia pallida)

4. Leaf blades striped, purple on the undersides, usually < 3” long…Zebrina (Tradescantia zebrina)

5. Leaf rosettes mostly green, the leaves tough but not succulent; flowers rising from rosettes in arching wands…Callisia (Callisia fragrans)

5. Leaf rosettes largely purplish (at least on the undersides); leave blades semisucculent; flowers nestled into boat-shaped bracts…Oyster Plant, Rhoeo (Tradescantia spathacea)