Tradescantia occidentalis (Western spiderwort)

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Tradescantia occidentalis (Britton) Smyth

Western spiderwort, prairie spiderwort

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Commelinidae	Dayflowers and spiderworts, and several others
Order	Commelinales	Includes dayflowers (spiderworts), bloodworts, water hyacinths, others
Family	Commelinaceae	Dayflower or spiderwort family
Genus	Tradescantia	After John Tradescant (1608-1662), English gardener to King Charles I
Species	occidentalis	From the west, western

About plant names...

Spiderworts are named for the resemblance of their leaves to a squatting spider. The genus Tradescantia is named for John Tradescant, a gardener for Charles I of England. There are about 71 species.

Identification: Plants are up to 2′ (60 cm) tall, with smooth stems with several joints. Leaves are long and narrow, with a whitish covering. Flowers are bright blue to rose or purple, about ¾″ (1.9 cm) in diameter, with three petals and six stamens with yellow anthers.

Here are a few species:

6/3/2009 · Zion National Park, Utah · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)

	You are here Tradescantia occidentalis	*Tradescantia pinetorum*	*Tradescantia virginiana*
Common Name	western spiderwort	pine spiderwort	Virginia spiderwort
Plant	Up to 2′ (60 cm) tall. Has smooth stems with several joints	8-20″ (20-50 cm) high	8-36″ (20-91 cm) high
Flowers	Bright blue to rose or purple, about ¾″ (1.9 cm) in diameter, with three petals and six stamens with yellow anthers.	Blue to purple flowers about ¾″ (1.9 cm) in diameter, with six stamens with yellow anthers. Small hairs are on various parts of the flower. All petals are equal in size.	Blue or purple, ¾-2″ (1.9-5 cm) in diameter, with three petals and six stamens, each with yellow anthers. There are two bracts beneath each flower
Leaves	Long and narrow, with a whitish covering	2-5″ (5-12 cm) long, sometimes much longer, and narrow, like blades of grass	Long and narrow, dark or olive green, with parallel veins, like wide grass blades. Up to 1′ (30 cm) × 1″ (2.5 cm)
Range/ Zones			USDA Zones: 4-9
Habitats	Plains, prairies, disturbed sites	Open brush, woods and wooded slopes, especially pine woods	Prairies, thickets, woodland edges, power line clearences
Type	Wild	Wild	Wild
Occurrence	Common	Common	Common