Spiderwort
Tradescantia Virginica. Spiderwort Family.
Stems.--Mucilaginous; leafy; mostly upright. Leaves.--Linear; keeled. Flowers.--Blue; clustered; with floral leaves as in the day--flower. Calyx.--Of three sepals. Corolla.--Of three petals. Stamens.--Six; with bearded filaments. Pistil.--One.
The flowers of the spiderwort, like those of the day-flower, to which they are nearly allied, are very perishable, lasting only a few hours. They are found throughout the summer, somewhat south and westward. The genus is named in honor of Tradescant, gardener to Charles I. of England.