Trans Pecos Spiderwort

Setcreasea, in which Tradescantia brevifolia, T. buckleyi, T. pallida, and T. leiandra were formerly placed, is synonymous with Tradescantia (D. R. Hunt 1975).

Herbs, prostrate, coarsely rhizomatous. Stems unbranched or sparsely branched, to 30 cm. Leaves spirally arranged; blade green, not variegated, broadly ovate to elliptic or lanceolate-elliptic, to 8 ´ 3 cm (distal leaf blades wider or narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), succulent, base symmetric, rounded to broadly cuneate, ± glaucous. Inflorescences terminal; bracts similar to leaves. Flowers subsessile; pedicels densely pilose; sepals distinct, glabrous; petals distinct, deep pink to reddish purple, obovate, clawed, claws basally connate forming tube; stamens epipetalous; filaments glabrous; ovary glabrous. Capsules obovoid to subglobose, 4 mm diam., glabrous. 2n = 18 (Mexico).

Flowering summer--fall (Jun--Oct). Rocks or crevices, grassy slopes, or sheltered cliffs on north-facing slopes; Tex.; Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo Leon).

Tradescantia leiandra Torrey var. brevifolia Torrey in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 225. 1859; Setcreasea brevifolia (Torrey) Schumann & Sydow