Grown as ornamental plant in gardens The decoction of the flowers and leaves is recommended for colds, whooping cough, nasal bleeding, bacillary dysentery , and blood in the stools. Th reat & damage: It grows as a dense cover preventing germination of seeds of native plants. The
Details
§ 01
uses
The decoction of the flowers and leaves is recommended for colds, whooping cough, nasal bleeding, bacillary dysentery , and blood in the stools. Th reat & damage: It grows as a dense cover preventing germination of seeds of native plants. The plant can cause stinging, itching and rashes in humans if it’s surface or the astringent juice is contacted.
family
Commelinaceae
synonym
Rhoeo spathacea (Sw.) Stearn, in Tradescantia discolor L’Hér.
description
Perennial herbs with short, stout stem nearly hidden by overlapping leaf bases which forms clumps by offshoots from fleshy rootstock. Leaves spreading, erect, closely overlapping in spiral pattern. Blades broadly linear, sharp-tipped, waxy, stiff , × fleshy, 15-30 2.5-8 cm; upper surfaces dark green or green with pale yellow stripes; lower Th surfaces usually purple. Flowers small, white, clustered within a folded bract, 3-4 cm long, short stalked from leaf axils. Petals 3; stamens 6 with hairy stalks. Fruit a 2-seeded capsule, in clusters within the bract.