BRIDAL VEIL
Also Known AsENGLISH:
Dotted Bridal Veil
Pellucid Gibasis
Pellucid Tradescantia
Variegated Wandering Jew [12]
SPANISH:
Veu-de-Nova
MEXICO, CENTRAL:
A Spanish name that translates to "chicken herb."
MEXICO, VERA CRUZ:
Matalin [19]
Matlali [gbif.org]
ETYMOLOGY: “Pellucida means “through which light passes, transparent.” [6] Pellucid means “translucently clear.”
NOTE: The Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants lists the common name for this Species as Tahitian Bridal Veil, which should only apply to Gibasis geniculata, not G. pellucida.
SYNONYMS:
Gibasis schiedeana [11]
Tradescantia geniculata var. botterii [11]
Tradescantia geniculata var. schiedeana [11]
Tradescantia lundellii [11]
Tradescantia multiflora [a name that the trade uses often]
Tradescantia pellucida
Tradescantia schiedeana [11]
Tripogandra lundellii [11]
Dotted Bridal Veil
Pellucid Gibasis
Pellucid Tradescantia
Variegated Wandering Jew [12]
SPANISH:
Veu-de-Nova
MEXICO, CENTRAL:
A Spanish name that translates to "chicken herb."
MEXICO, VERA CRUZ:
Matalin [19]
Matlali [gbif.org]
ETYMOLOGY: “Pellucida means “through which light passes, transparent.” [6] Pellucid means “translucently clear.”
NOTE: The Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants lists the common name for this Species as Tahitian Bridal Veil, which should only apply to Gibasis geniculata, not G. pellucida.
SYNONYMS:
Gibasis schiedeana [11]
Tradescantia geniculata var. botterii [11]
Tradescantia geniculata var. schiedeana [11]
Tradescantia lundellii [11]
Tradescantia multiflora [a name that the trade uses often]
Tradescantia pellucida
Tradescantia schiedeana [11]
Tripogandra lundellii [11]
Edible Parts
Animal Interaction
Other Uses
Bridal Veil pops up in shady places across much of Florida. Not a common non-native, but not a rare one either. It is native from El Salvador north into the Yucatan of Mexico. Friends and I found some very large patches of it recently near Lake Jessup, and I mean VERY large. This member of the Dayflower family [within the Tradescantieae Tribe] is known as Matalin in Vera Cruz, Mexico. What a pretty name. One of its names in Mexico translates to "chicken herb" so I will assume that it is used as a chicken forage there. As far as human-related uses go, I have only found one mention of it being used medicinally, with no details given, in an article detailing rainforest plants of central Vera Cruz, Mexico. If anyone has any information as to any herbal or other uses that it may have, please contact me. I so hope that it ends up having qualities that we can craft into medicine, as the recently stumbled upon patches of this non-native plant looked so lush and healthy. This species is easily confused with Gibasis geniculata, the Tahitian Bridal Veil, which has "more pubescent leaves" and is commonly sold as a hanging plant at nurseries.
CAUTION: The ASPCA lists it as being toxic to both dogs and cats, possibly causing "mild gastrointestinal signs and dermatitis."
POLUTRY FEED: One of its names in Mexico translates to "chicken herb" so I will assume that it is fed to chickens as a forage.
GROUNDCOVER: It is grown as a shade loving groundcover.
GROUNDCOVER: It is grown as a shade loving groundcover.
NATIVE TO: “Jamaica and the tropical Americas.” [1] “Central and southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, naturalized in Florida and Texas” [3] Mexico. [5] In Florida, it has been reported in eleven scattered counties across the entire state. "Introduced through nursery sales." [14]
HABITAT: "In citrus groves and waste places." [16] Shady woodlands, especially woodland edges and trailsides.
DESCRIPTION: “Creeping, sprawling perennial herb, rooting at the nodes.
RELATED SPECIES: "Gibasis pellucida has often been confused with G. geniculata, [Tahitian Bridal Veil], the only other commonly cultivated species; the leaves of G. geniculata are more pubescent, however, and its filaments are bearded only at the base." [14]
- LEAVES: Leaves 2.5 - 10 cm long, sessile, distichous, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acute to acuminate; base asymmetric, rounded to cordate. "Leaves 2-ranked, blade lanceolate-oblong, 4.5--7 cm." [14]
- CYMES: Cymes in pairs.
- FLOWERS: Flowers 7-14 mm in diameter, white.” [6] Appearing all year. [12] "Inflorescences terminal. Flowers: sepals keeled, 2.5--3 mm, glabrous; petals white, 4 mm; filaments bearded at base and distal to middle." [14]
CULTURE:
- HARDINESS: USDA zones 9-10. [1] garden.org lists it at 15-20F. [12]
- WATER: Requires good drainage when grown in container. [12]
- INDOOR: Grown as an indoor plant. [1]
PROPAGATION: Cuttings. [12]
-
HABITAT: "In citrus groves and waste places." [16] Shady woodlands, especially woodland edges and trailsides.
DESCRIPTION: “Creeping, sprawling perennial herb, rooting at the nodes.
RELATED SPECIES: "Gibasis pellucida has often been confused with G. geniculata, [Tahitian Bridal Veil], the only other commonly cultivated species; the leaves of G. geniculata are more pubescent, however, and its filaments are bearded only at the base." [14]
- LEAVES: Leaves 2.5 - 10 cm long, sessile, distichous, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acute to acuminate; base asymmetric, rounded to cordate. "Leaves 2-ranked, blade lanceolate-oblong, 4.5--7 cm." [14]
- CYMES: Cymes in pairs.
- FLOWERS: Flowers 7-14 mm in diameter, white.” [6] Appearing all year. [12] "Inflorescences terminal. Flowers: sepals keeled, 2.5--3 mm, glabrous; petals white, 4 mm; filaments bearded at base and distal to middle." [14]
CULTURE:
- HARDINESS: USDA zones 9-10. [1] garden.org lists it at 15-20F. [12]
- WATER: Requires good drainage when grown in container. [12]
- INDOOR: Grown as an indoor plant. [1]
PROPAGATION: Cuttings. [12]
-
More Details
Flowering Calendar
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Flower Color
White
Habitat
Hardwood Forest Disturbed Shaded woodland edges
Native?
Non-Native
Plant Form
Herbaceous Semi-Deciduous Perennial Groundcover
Height
1 feet
Width
2 feet
Hardiness Zone
9a to 10b
Ease of growth
Very Easy
Light
Shade Part Sun
Soil
Well-Drained
Watering
Moist
Does well in Containers
References
[1] plantstogrow.com
[2] Paul Drobot
[3] Biota of North America Program
[4] invasiveplantatlas.org
[5] rhs.org.uk
[6] Flora of Zimbabwe
[7] Bob Upcavage
[8] Judymonkey17 on flickr
[9] FloraSBS
[10] Atlas of Florida Plants
[11] theplantlist.org
[12] garden.org
[13] ASPCA
[14] texasinvasives.org
[15] meucantinhoverde.com
[16] Flora of North America: North of Mexico, Volume 19
[19] Potentially Useful Flora From the Tropical Rainforest in Central Veracruz, Mexico: Considerations for Their Conservation
- http://www.redalyc.org/html/574/57432065004/
[2] Paul Drobot
[3] Biota of North America Program
[4] invasiveplantatlas.org
[5] rhs.org.uk
[6] Flora of Zimbabwe
[7] Bob Upcavage
[8] Judymonkey17 on flickr
[9] FloraSBS
[10] Atlas of Florida Plants
[11] theplantlist.org
[12] garden.org
[13] ASPCA
[14] texasinvasives.org
[15] meucantinhoverde.com
[16] Flora of North America: North of Mexico, Volume 19
[19] Potentially Useful Flora From the Tropical Rainforest in Central Veracruz, Mexico: Considerations for Their Conservation
- http://www.redalyc.org/html/574/57432065004/
Last Updated: December 12, 2017