zebra plant

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Inch-plant
• inchplant
• wandering-Jew
• Wandering Jew
• Creeping Charlie
• Zebra Plant

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Commelina zebrina
• Cyanotis zebrina

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across various regions within Northern Africa. Specifically, its presence is documented in the countries of Algeria and Morocco. Beyond the mainland, it can be found throughout the Macaronesian islands. This includes the Canary Islands, Madeira, and Cape Verde. Consequently, its natural range spans several distinct island and continental territories.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Tradescantia zebrina is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 1500 m AMSL. Regarding its preferred environmental settings, the specific habitat data remains currently undetermined or unrecorded (?), though it typically thrives in moist, shaded environments.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

(?)

Life history

The life history of Tradescantia zebrina is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its cycle in a single year. In terms of its botanical life form, it exhibits characteristics of both a chamaephyte and a therophyte, reflecting its ability to maintain low-growing structures and its capacity for survival through varying environmental conditions. This combination of life forms enables the plant to establish stable ground cover while utilizing specific survival strategies to endure seasonal shifts.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Tradescantia zebrina is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. It functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic tendencies, and thrives in a terrestrial habitat rather than being aquatic, semiaquatic, or epiphytic. The plant exhibits a self-supporting growth habit, though it does not function as a liana or vine, and its shoot orientation is distinctly prostrate, often rambling across the substrate. The structure is entirely non-woody, contributing to its soft, herbaceous texture.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Shoot orientation :

prostrate

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Tradescantia zebrina is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and energy production. The plant features an alternate leaf arrangement, with individual leaf forms being primarily ovate in shape. Morphologically, the leaves exhibit significant variability in size, with a minimum length of 2.5 cm and a maximum length reaching up to 10 cm, while the width ranges from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 3 cm. Despite its structural characteristics, the plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining a non-succulent tissue composition throughout its vegetative growth.

Leaf arrangement :

alternate

Leaf form :

ovate

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

2.5 cm

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Tradescantia zebrina is characterized by a flowering period that is highly variable, typically spanning from December through July. During this cycle, the plant produces flowers that are relatively small in size, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a maximum of 0.9 cm, and they are distinguished by their pink color. The reproductive process culminates in the development of a capsule fruit, which is a dehiscence type, meaning it is capable of splitting open at maturity to release its contents. Regarding the movement of its seeds, the plant exhibits an unspecialized dispersal syndrome, though it is also notably subject to anthropochorous dispersal, where human activity plays a role in its spread.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flower length max:

0.9 cm

Flower length min:

0.5 cm

Flowering time :

Dec

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit type :

capsule

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tradescantia zebrina 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 zebrina 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 zebrina 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 zebrina 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