Wandering Tradescantia - introduced (*Tradescantia fluminensis)

Other names: Wandering Jew, Tradescantia albiflora.

Family: Commelinaceae.

Native of South America.

Occurrence: A weed of damp shaded places. Most of Central Victoria is too dry for this weed to thrive.

Identification:

• it is a prostrate, scrambling succulent plant
• it may root from the stem nodes
• the leaves are pointed at the ends, and have parallel veins
• the flowers are white. with three petals.

Wandering Tradescantia is a troublesome weed in some Melbourne suburbs, particularly along shaded creeklines.

Tradescantia is named in honour of J Tradescant, who was a gardener for Charles I of England.

Photo 1: Wandering Tradescantia. Blackburn. 2: It can root from the nodes. 3: Dense growth along Gardiners Creek. Blackburn. 4: Variegated form. Verlin St, Castlemaine.