Tradescantia spathacea

Tradescantia spathacea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Commelinales
Family: Commelinaceae
Genus: Tradescantia
Species:
T. spathacea
Binomial name
Tradescantia spathacea
Synonyms
List
    • Ephemerum bicolor Moench
    • Rhoeo discolor (L'Hér.) Hance
    • Rhoeo spathacea (Sw.) Stearn
    • Rhoeo spathacea f. concolor (Baker) Stehlé
    • Rhoeo spathacea f. variegata (Hook.) Stehlé
    • Tradescantia discolor L'Hér.
    • Tradescantia discolor var. concolor Baker
    • Tradescantia discolor var. variegata Hook.
    • Tradescantia versicolor Salisb.

Tradescantia spathacea, also called the oyster plant, boatlily or 'Moses-in-the-cradle', is an herb in the Commelinaceae family which was first described in 1788. It is native to Central America.

The plant's common name "Moses in the Cradle" is due to its small, white flowers within a boat-shaped, purple bract that resembles a cradle, which is a visual resemblance to the biblical story of Moses in the bulrushes, where he was placed in a basket.

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