Details
| Full name | Tradescantia spathacea Bantam Group. |
| Name status | Accepted, the valid name for a cultivar group. Established with a description by Pellegrini et al (2026). |
| Origins | A group of cultivars of unknown origin, the oldest has been known in cultivation since at least 1984. Named by Pellegrini at al (2026), after the small varieties of domestic fowl. |
| Classification | All cultivars of the group belong to the species Tradescantia spathacea. |
| Included cultivars | The group contains five cultivars at its date of establishment. View all Tradescantia spathacea Bantam Group cultivars. |
Description
| Species | Tradescantia spathacea. |
| Growth habit | Grows compact rosettes which begin to sprawl as the stems age. Rarely branches above the soil level, but makes offsets from the base of the plant. Much smaller overall than other forms of T. spathacea, with thinner stems, smaller leaves, and a more sprawling growth habit. |
| Foliage | Long narrow leaves up to 15cm long and 3cm wide. The group includes cultivars with many variegated patterns and colours. |
| Flowers | Flowers are rare and may be sterile, but appear typical for the species. |
References
Pellegrini, M. O. O., Hunt, D. R., Grant, J. R., Rowe, A., Antonio-Domingues, H., de Almeida, R. F. (2026). Towards a taxonomic revision of Tradescantia subg. Campelia (Commelinaceae) I: sectional arrangement and revision of T. sect. Rhoeo. Plant Ecology and Evolution 159(2): 208-227. doi:10.5091/plecevo.138752. Open access link.