Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Tradescantia occidentalis (Britton) Smyth
(Rocky Mountain Spiderwort)


Family: Commelinaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
By var., see Allred

Found on dry slopes, Tradescantia occidentalis has densely glandular-pubescent pedicels and petals that are 10-16mm long. There is no spathe holding the developing flowers as in the genus Commelina. The pedicels (stalks to the flowers) are noticeably longer and the flower petals larger than those of T. pinetorum.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Tradescantia occidentalis, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Apache Peak, Sept. 7, 2007



Tradescantia occidentalis, habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Knight Canyon, August 18, 2013



Tradescantia occidentalis, inflorescence , photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Knight Canyon, August 18, 2013



Tradescantia occidentalis, pedicels more than 10mm long, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Knight Canyon, August 18, 2013



Tradescantia occidentalis, lateral photo of flower, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Knight Canyon, August 18, 2013



Tradescantia occidentalis, frontal photo of flower, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Knight Canyon, August 18, 2013


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