Taxon: Tradescantia fluminensis Vell.

Summary

Genus:

Tradescantia

Family:

Commelinaceae

Subfamily:

Commelinoideae

Tribe:

Tradescantieae

Subtribe:

Tradescantiinae

Nomen number:

36807

Place of publication:

Fl. flumin. 140. 1829 ("1825"); icon. 3:152. 1831 ("1827")

Protologue link:

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/637995

Verified:

01/26/2009 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

2 (1 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Tradescantia albiflora Kunth

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
Angely, J. A. 1965. Flora analitica do Parana.
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Cabrera, A. L. & E. M. Zardini. 1978. Manual de la flora de los alrededores de Buenos Aires.
CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands. in note.
Dyer, R. A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flora of southern Africa.
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Faden, R. B. 2000. Commelinaceae. In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 22:186. Note: introduced
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Heenan, P. B. et al. 2023. Genetic diversity of Tradescantia fluminensis complex (Commelinaceae) naturalised in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. New Zealand J. Bot. 61:23-27. DOI: 10.1080/0028825X.2022.2055479.
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Munz, P. A. & D. D. Keck. 1959. A California flora.
Munz, P. A. 1974. A flora of southern California.
Pellegrini, M. O. O. 2018. Wandering throughout South America: taxonomic revision of Tradescantia subg. Austrotradescantia (D.R.Hunt) M.Pell. (Commelinaceae). PhytoKeys 104:52-60. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.104.28484.
St. John, H. 1973. List and summary of the flowering plants in the Hawaiian islands
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	spiderwort		1	CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
English	wandering-Jew	this common name may be considered derogatory	1	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
English	wandering-sailor		1	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
German	Rio-Dreimasterblume		2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
Swedish	vandrande jude	this common name may be considered derogatory	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Minas Gerais		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Paraná		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Rio Grande do Sul		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Santa Catarina		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	São Paulo		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Buenos Aires		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Chaco		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Córdoba		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Corrientes		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Entre Ríos		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Formosa		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Jujuy		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Misiones		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Salta		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Santa Fe		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Tucumán		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay	Alto Paraná		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay	Central		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay	Cordillera		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay	Paraguarí		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Uruguay			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
2	Cultivated					also cult.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Azores		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Madeira Islands		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Macaronesia	Spain	Canarias		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	Eswatini			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	KwaZulu-Natal		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Mpumalanga		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Tasmania		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Victoria		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	New Zealand	New Zealand			Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France	Corse		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Portugal			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama		Faden, R. B. 2000. Commelinaceae. In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 22:186. Note: introduced
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		Faden, R. B. 2000. Commelinaceae. In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 22:186. Note: introduced
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		Faden, R. B. 2000. Commelinaceae. In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 22:186. Note: introduced
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		Faden, R. B. 2000. Commelinaceae. In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 22:186. Note: introduced

Native
Southern America

BRAZIL: Brazil [Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo]
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Córdoba, Buenos Aires, Chaco, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Formosa, Jujuy, Misiones, Salta, Santa Fe, Tucumán], Paraguay [Alto Paraná, Central, Cordillera, Paraguarí], Uruguay

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa

MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Azores, Madeira Islands]
NORTHERN AFRICA: Morocco
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Eswatini, South Africa [KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga]

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [Tasmania, Victoria]
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand

Europe

SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France [Corse], Portugal

Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Florida, Louisiana]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [California]

Reference(s)

Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Faden, R. B. 2000. Commelinaceae. In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 22:186. Note: introduced
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Reference
Environmental	ornamental	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Environmental	ornamental	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Environmental	ornamental	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed		CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Weed		Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=36807. Accessed 17 April 2026.