Tradescantia spathacea
Moses-in-the-cradle
Tradescantia spathecea, commonly known as the inch plant or wandering dude, is a versatile creeping perennial. Beyond its ornamental beauty, this plant holds significant medicinal potential in traditional practices. Renowned for its resilience, it is studied for its bioactive compounds, offering promising applications in various natural healing therapies.
- Scientific name: Tradescantia spathacea
- Family: Commelinaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Commelinales, placing it in the family Commelinaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is established within the genus Tradescantia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Commelinales | WCVP |
| Family | Commelinaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Tradescantia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Tradescantia spathacea, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In German, it is called the Purpurblättrige Dreimasterblume, while in Malaysia, it is known as Pokok Kerang Nenas. In the Pamonese language, it is called Aksibal a mabie, and in Russian, it is identified as Траддесканция разноцветная. Finally, in Indonesia, it is commonly referred to as Nanas Kerang.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| de | Purpurblättrige Dreimasterblume | Wikidata |
| ms | Pokok Kerang Nenas | Wikidata |
| pam | Aksibal a mabie | Wikidata |
| ru | Традесканция разноцветная | Wikidata |
| id | Nanas Kerang | Wikidata |
| to | Fainā kula | Wikidata |
| sv | Blomstervagga | Wikidata |
| th | ว่านกาบหอย | Wikidata |
| kk | Рео | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 紫背萬年青 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several tropical regions. In West Tropical Africa, it can be found in Gambia. Moving toward East Tropical Africa, the species is documented in Tanzania. Its presence is also notable throughout the Western Indian Ocean, specifically within the Comoros and the Seychelles. Finally, this medicinal plant extends its reach to the remote Chagos Archipelago.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| East Tropical Africa | Tanzania | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Chagos Archipelago | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Comoros | WCVP |
| Western Indian Ocean | Seychelles | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Ogasawara-shoto | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Bangladesh | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Tradescantia spathacea, is frequently utilized for its therapeutic properties, with its most common application involving the consumption of a medicinal tea. To prepare this infusion, the succulent, variegated leaves are harvested and steeped in hot water to extract their beneficial compounds. These leaves, characterized by their green upper surfaces and deep purple undersides, serve as the primary source of the plant's medicinal value when processed into a tea.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| tea | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Tradescantia spathacea has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include chloroform, distilled water, ethanol, ethyl acetate, hexane.
- Total chemicals
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| chloroform | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| distilled water | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethyl acetate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hexane | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Tradescantia spathacea has 3 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimycotic, Bacteriostatic.
- Total activities
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimycotic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bacteriostatic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |