Tradescantia
Spiderwort
Tradescantia, commonly known as spiderwort, is a versatile genus of flowering plants celebrated for their vibrant blooms and lush foliage. Beyond their ornamental beauty in gardens, various species possess significant medicinal properties, traditionally used in folk medicine to treat inflammation, skin irritations, and respiratory ailments through their bioactive compounds.
- Scientific name: Tradescantia
- Family: Commelinaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized into the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Commelinares, falling under the family Commelineae. Finally, the medicinal specimen is identified by 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, is recognized by various common names across different languages and cultures. In Poland, it is referred to as Trzykrotka, while in Hebrew, it is called היהודי הנודד. In Russia, the name used is Траддесканциyя, and in Finland, it is commonly known as Juoruut. Furthermore, in German-speaking regions, it is often called Dreimasterblumen.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| pl | Trzykrotka | Wikidata |
| he | היהודי הנודד | Wikidata |
| ru | Традесканция | Wikidata |
| fi | Juorut | Wikidata |
| de | Dreimasterblumen | Wikidata |
| ja | ムラサキツユクサ属 | Wikidata |
| io | Tradeskancio | Wikidata |
| fa | ترادسکانتیا | Wikidata |
| az | Tradeskansiya | Wikidata |
| hsb | Tradeskantija | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a diverse geographical presence across several distinct regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its range includes the territory of Great Britain. Moving toward the center, it can be found throughout Middle Europe, specifically in Germany. The distribution extends into Southwestern Europe, where it inhabits the Balearic Islands. Finally, its presence is noted in both Corsica and mainland France.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Baleares | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Corse | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Portugal | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Greece | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Kriti | WCVP |
Chemicals
Tradescantia has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Calcofluor white M2R.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Calcofluor white M2R | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Tradescantia has 5 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Cytotoxic.
- Total activities
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 8
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Tradescantia has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer.
- Total uses
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |