Tradescantia fluminensis Vell., Commelinaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

High risk, score: 17 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific)).
Reject, score: 18 (Go to the risk assessment (U.S. Florida)).

Common name(s): [more details]

English: small-leaf spiderwort, spiderwort, trad, wandering Jew

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Trailing perennial with succulent stems, rooting readily at nodes, ascending above.  Leaves 3-6 cm long, ovate-elliptic, acute, shining, very shortly petioled, leaf- and petiole-margins ciliate; sheaths 5-10 mm long, loosely clasping, hyaline, obviously ciliate.  Flowers several in umbels with 2 unequal leaf-like bracts; pedicels slender, to 1.5 cm long; sepals green, c. 7 mm long, ovate, hairy on keel; petals white, delicate, c. 10 mm long, ovate to elliptic. T. fluminensis is recognised by the ± succulent, trailing, rooting stems, ciliate leaf sheaths, and 3 acute white petals"  (Healy & Edgar, 1980; pp. 39-40).

"Prostrate, rooting at the nodes; leaves oblong to oblong-ovate, 3-7 cm long, acute, glabrous; sheath hairy at summit; umbels many-flowered, subtended by 2 lance-ovate bracts; petals white, 6 mm long, filaments hairy" (Munz & Keck, 1959; p. 1325).

Habitat/ecology:  "An aggressive smothering creeper which rapidly takes over the ground layer in gullies and temporary watercourses, forming a dense cover of leaves that exclude light and warmth. Blankets low plants and seedlings, cools the soil, prevents native plant germination. Tolerates shade, sun and drought, but is frost tender. Highly invasive"  (Weeds of Blue Mountains bushland).

In California, "common in cultivation and becoming naturalized in damp places" (Munz & Keck, 1959; p. 1325). In New Zealand, "established in damp shaded places—waste land, domestic gardens, under willows etc. along river and stream banks and in some localities forms dense ± succulent communities in forest remnants and damaged forest near settlement, especially in areas damaged by cattle trampling. Wandering Jew competes with and often suppresses indigenous ground layer ferns, herbs, and young plants of shrubs and trees, and inhibits growth of seedlings" (Healy & Edgar, 1980; pp. 39-40).

Propagation:  Rooting from pieces and cuttings. "Seeds and broken pieces of stems are sometimes dispersed by flood waters, initiating further infestations downstream" (Healy & Edgar, 1980; pp. 39-40).

Native range:  South America (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay) (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 22) "Escaped from cultivation in a few places". Voucher cited: J. Pickard 3476 (NSW)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Cuevas, Jaime G./Marticorena, Alicia/Cavieres, Lohengrin A. (2004) (p. 538) Voucher cited: JF 845
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 462, 466, 558) Voucher cited: Danton B(687)654
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 462, 466, 558) Voucher cited: Danton G(1431)1196
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Alcedo, Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R./Imada, Clyde T. (2006) (pp. 6-7) Vouchers cited: D. Herbst 9877 (BISH), Imada & Arakaki 99-48 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R./Imada, Clyde T. (2006) (pp. 6-7) Voucher cited: H. Oppenheimer et al. H-40202 (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 49)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	Harley, Barbara (2009)
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 8)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 304)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 191)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Healy, A. J./Edgar, E. (1980) (p. 39) Voucher cited: H. Carse (AK 95206)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Owen, S. J. (1997)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)		Hafliger, E. (1092) (p. 110)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 364)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced invasive	Munz, P. A./Keck, D. D. (1959) (p. 1325)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, Lousiana
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Reported to be invasive in the Canary Islands.

Control: 

Physical:  "Small infestations can be removed by hand.  Larger infestations are removed by raking or rolling up the plants.  Killing by solarization is used in warmer locations, the plastic sheeting should last for 2-6 weeks.

Chemical:  An effective herbicide is paraquat.  Follow-up treatments are necessary to control regrowth"  (Weber, 2003; p. 436).

"1. Spray: triclopyr 600 EC (6ml/L + penetrant) or Yates Hydrocotyle Killer (30ml/L + penetrant) or triclopyr 300 EC (12ml/L). 90+% kill. Follow up quickly (2-3 months) before plant recovers. 2-3 treatments needed for total control. 
2. Weed wipe: triclopyr 600 EC (250ml/L + penetrant) or triclopyr 300 EC (500ml/L). Follow up as above.
3. Spray: glyphosate (20ml/L + penetrant) or triclopyr 600 EC (3ml/L + penetrant) or Yates Hydrocotyl Killer (15ml/L + penetrant). Follow up quickly (2-3 months) before plant recovers. 2-3 treatments needed for control"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Biological: See Standish, 2001.