wandering Jew

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Wandering Jew
• Wandering-Jew
• spiderwort
• wandering-sailor
• Small-leaf Spiderwort
• Small-leaf Wandering Jew

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Tradescantia fluminensis f. aureovittata
• Tradescantia albovittata
• Tradescantia albiflora
• Tradescantia fluminensis f. albovittata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Commelinales and the family Commelineae, it is classified under the genus Tradescantia. Specifically, its taxonomic identity is recognized as Tradescantia flueminenis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of locations across the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence can be specifically noted within Great Britain. Moving toward the Mediterranean, it is distributed throughout several regions of Southwestern Europe. This includes its occurrence in the Baleares, Corse, and France. Additionally, the species is found spanning across the coastal landscapes of Portugal.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Tradescantia fluminenis is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1219 m AMSL. This species demonstrates significant ecological plasticity, occupying diverse environments including anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), riparian forests or gallery forests (Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria), ombrophilous forests (Floresca Ombrófila/Pluvial), and mixed ombrophilous forests (Floresta Ombrófila Mista). Furthermore, its biological associations indicate that it does not form mycorrhizal relationships, as it lacks mycorrhiza.

Elevational range max:

1219 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Floresta Ombrófila Mista

Mycorrhiza :

no

Life history

The life history of Tradescantia fluminenis is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It exhibits a chamaephyte life form, maintaining its reproductive and vegetative structures close to the ground level. As an evergreen species, it retains its foliage throughout the year, ensuring continuous photosynthetic activity. This combination of a long-lived lifecycle and a low-growing, persistent growth habit defines its ecological presence and survival strategy within its natural habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Tradescantia flueminesis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It functions as a self-supporting plant, exhibiting an ascending shoot orientation rather than acting as a climber or a liana. The species typically maintains a terrestrial habit, existing as an independent organism without parasitic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant displays a modest height, with individual specimens generally ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.8 m, with a mean height of approximately 0.3 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.8 m

Plant height mean:

0.3 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Shoot orientation :

ascending

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Tradescantia fluminenis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a standard metabolic process for plants in this genus that facilitates carbon fixation under moderate light and temperature conditions. The plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on organic nitrogen availability within the soil substrate. Its morphological physiology is reflected in its leaf structure, which exhibits an elliptic form. The dimensions of these leaves vary significantly, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 5.5 cm. Similarly, leaf width shows considerable variability, maintaining a minimum measurement of 1.5 cm, a mean width of 4 cm, and reaching a maximum width of 2 cm, illustrating the specific developmental range of its foliar tissues.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

5.5 cm

Leaf length min:

2.5 cm

Leaf width max:

2 cm

Leaf width mean:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Tradescantia fluminenensis involves both sexual and asexual mechanisms, with asexual reproduction being a present and viable pathway for the species. When reproducing sexually, the plant features bisexual flowers that are white in color, measuring between 0.8 cm and 1.2 cm in length. The flowering period typically begins in December and concludes in April, though the timing can be variable. The pollination process is biotic, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome. Notably, self-fertilization is absent in this species, necessitating cross-pollination. Following fertilization, the plant produces a capsule-type fruit that is dehiscence-based. The resulting seeds are minute, with a maximum length of 1.6 mm and a maximum width of 1 mm; however, recorded mean values for seed mass, length, and width are noted as zero in specific datasets. The dispersal of these seeds follows an unspecialized syndrome, though there is also evidence of anthropochory (dispersal by humans).

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flower length max:

1.2 cm

Flower length min:

0.8 cm

Flowering time :

Dec

Flowering time :

Apr

Fruit type :

capsule

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length max:

1.6 mm

Seed length mean:

0 mm

Seed mass mean:

0 g

Seed width max:

1 mm

Seed width mean:

0 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

0

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tradescantia fluminensis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Chemicals

Tradescantia fluminensis has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Cardiac Glycosides, Flavonoids, Saponins, Steroids, Tannins.

Cardiac Glycosides

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Flavonoids

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Saponins

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Steroids

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Tannins

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Terpenoids

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Conditions

Tradescantia fluminensis has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include 15-lipoxygenase.

15-lipoxygenase

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Preparations

Tradescantia fluminensis has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanol leaf extracts.

Methanol leaf extracts

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine