Tradescantia zebrina
Zebra traffic light herb ( Zebrina zebrina )
The Zebra traffic light herb ( Tradescantia zebrina ), also called Zebra herb is a plant of the genus Dreimaster Flowers ( Tradescantia ), which is found mainly in Guatemala and Mexico. It is used as an ornamental plant both outdoors and indoors.
Description
The low -lying, slightly succulent, perennial, herbaceous plant often forms dense mats or colonies. This is done primarily by natural formation of Absenkern. Are embryonic roots, from which develop in continuous contact with water or a sufficiently moist soil under favorable conditions within a day roots at the nodes of the shoots. The stems are hairy glabrous or tomentose. The sessile, parallel venation leaves are usually ovate, 4-10 cm long and 1.5 to 3 cm wide, tapering to the tip, rounded to the base. The top is hairless hairy to weak, the underside glabrous to average hairy, ciliate on the sheet the base. The leaves are bluish - green and usually have two longitudinal stripes, which are silvery and purple on the bottom to the surface. The leaf sheaths are thin and translucent, 8 to 12 mm long and 5-8 mm wide at the mouth, they are long - ciliate, otherwise glabrous or hairy weak.
The flowers are in groups, supported by two large deciduous leaf-like, narrow, ciliated bracts. The hermaphrodite, radial symmetry blooms are triple. The three fused sepals are 2-3 mm long. The three fused only at the base of the petals are ovate - jaded, pink to purple in color and 5-9 mm long. The six equal stamens are hairy violet. Three carpels are fused into a superior ovaries. They form seed capsules that contain gray - brown seeds.
Occurrence
This species is found mainly in Guatemala and Central and Southern Mexico, but can also be found from Belize to El Salvador and Panama, and the Caribbean Islands. It grows in thickets in wet and rain forest, often on rocks in shaded and open areas or on river banks at an altitude of 2000 meters or less, but mainly at lower altitudes.
System
The first description by Julius Friedrich Wilhelm Bosse was published in 1849. Synonyms are Zebrina pendula Schnizl. (1849 ), Cyanotis vittata Lindl. (1850), Commelina zebrina CBClarke (1881, nom. Inval. ), Tradescantia tricolor CBClarke (1881 ), Zebrina pendula f quadricolor Voss ( 1895), Zebrina pendula var quadricolor ( Voss ) LHBailey (1902 ), Zebrina purpusii G.Brückn. (1927) and Tradescantia pendula ( Schnizl. ) DRHunt (1981).
Use as an ornamental plant
The plant is not frost resistant and is therefore kept in frost -prone areas throughout the year or during the winter months as a houseplant. Often it is used as a traffic light or hanging plant. Propagation is usually vegetatively by cuttings head, which take root easily. Propagation by stem cuttings is also possible.