Tahitian bridal-veil

Tradescantia pellucida M. Martens & Galleoti, Bull. Acad. Roy. Sci. Bruxelles 2: 376. 1842; Gibasis schiedeana (Kunth) D. R. Hunt

Herbs, perennial, decumbent. Leaves 2-ranked, blade lanceolate-oblong, 4.5--7 cm ´ 1.4--2.3 cm. Inflorescences terminal and distally axillary, pairs of pedunculate cymes in compound inflorescences; peduncles of cymes 1.7--2.5 cm; bracteoles overlapping. Flowers: sepals keeled, 2.5--3 mm, glabrous; petals white, 4 mm; filaments bearded at base and distal to middle. Capsules ovoid, 2.5 mm. Seeds light brown, 1 mm, rugose. 2n = 10, 16 (Mexico).

Fruiting fall. Weedy in citrus groves and waste places; introduced; Fla.; native, Mexico.

Gibasis pellucida has often been confused with G. geniculata, the only other commonly cultivated species; the leaves of G. geniculata are more pubescent, however, and its filaments are bearded only at the base. For about 10 years G. pellucida was known as G. schiedeana.

Aneilema linearis (Bentham) Woodson, a species of Gibasis, was reported as occurring in Mexico just south of the Big Bend region of Texas (L. H. Shinners 1962). That species is likely to be G. venustula (Kunth) D. R. Hunt (D. R. Hunt 1986c). No specimens have been seen from the United States.