The Spiderwort Family gives us, of course, Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana,) with it's violet-blue flowers and bright yellow stamens. It also gives us Asiatic Dayflowers (Commelina communis,) which sport two deep blue petals and one insignificant white petal (see my article Flower for a day.) Both can be found in sizeable colonies in the wild; a great example of the sort of gardening Mother Nature is capable of.
There are about 600 species in 40 genera in the family, and they are usually found in tropical and subtropical climates. Spiderwort (T. virginiana) cousins include Ohio Spiderwort (T. ohiensis) and T. subaspera, a southeastern species. Ornamental such as Wandering Jew and Dayflower are also a part of the family.
Western species include Western Dayflower (C. dianthifolia) and Pine Spiderwort (T. pinetorum). Western Dayflower is festooned with blue or purple flowers while Pine Spiderwort has clusters of blue-purple flowers.
The Morning Glory Family, though it does have trees and shrubs and herbs in the gene pool, is probably best known for its vines, which sport often showy and colorful funnel-shaped blossoms. Who hasn't oo-ed and ah-ed at the sight of the Common Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea) in full bloom, covered with blue or purple or pink flowers, or admired the small scarlet flowers of Small Red Morning Glory (I. coccinewa)? And chances are, most of the vines you encounter, particularly those with funnel-shaped flowers, are members of this family.
The Morning Glory Family has about 1,400 species in about 50 genera, which grow mostly in tropical or temperate zones. Some ore noxious weeds, some are cultivated for those showy funnels, and one - the Sweet Potato - has edible fleshy underground stems.
Other vines you might encounter include Hedge Bindweed (Convolvulus sepium), which has pinkish flowers with white stripes, Railroad Vine (I. Pes-caprae), with reddish-pink to purple flowers, and (in the southeast) Glades Morning Glory (I. Sagittata), which has pink or purple flowers.
West of the Rockies you can find such species as Scarlet Creeper (I. Cristulata) and, along the Pacific Coat, Beach Morning Glory (Calystegia soldanella). It has pale streaked rose-colored flowers.
Both families might be considered weedy things, but they produce such lovely flowers so generously filled up with pigments you'd think they would drip color.
Go To Page: 1 2
