Details
| Full name | Tradescantia fluminensis ‘Austroverde’. |
| Name status | Accepted, the valid name for a unique cultivar. Registered in 2025 by Iván Calfu, the name will be formally established once published in hardcopy (Brickell et al., 2016, Art. 27.6). The name comes from the Spanish “austro” referring to the humid Southern part of Chile, and “verde” referring to the intense green colour. |
| Origins | Unknown. It has been in circulation in Chile since at least 2020, but not previously recognised as a distinct cultivar. Named and registered by Iván Calfu in Panguipulli, Chile. |
| Classification | The species Tradescantia fluminensis has sometimes been labelled with its botanical synonym Tradescantia albiflora, and with the invalid horticultural names Tradescantia viridis, Tradescantia repens, and Tradescantia reptans. |
| Legal protection | None. |
| Availability | Locally available in Chile. |
Description
Described by Iván Calfu with reference to Pantone colours.
| Species | Tradescantia fluminensis. |
| Growth habit | Stems are initially erect, then droop and trail as they grow longer. Growth is very rapid. The plant requires constant humidity for optimal development, and cannot grow well in open air without supplemental humidity. In drier conditions the leaves become yellow and die. |
| Foliage | Leaves are pointed ovals, 3.5-6cm long and 1.2-3cm wide, smooth except for a few hairs at the top of the sheath. The leaves are pure green, PMS 364 above and PMS 363 below. |
| Flowers | Flowers are rare or unheard-of in cultivation. |
| Comparisons | Compared to T. fluminensis ‘Viridis’, it is similar in appearance but has different care requirements and responds differently to the environment. Compared to T. mundula ‘Green Hill’, it is a similar size but lighter in colour and without purple leaf undersides. Compared to T. fluminensis ‘Variegata’, the leaf size and shape are similar but it lacks white stripes. |
References
Brickell, C. D., Alexander, C., Cubey, J. J., David, J. C., Hoffman, M. H. A., Leslie, A. C., Malécot, V., Jin, X. (2016). International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants. PDF link.