Fauna
Plant

Buckley's Spiderwort

Tradescantia buckleyi

Buckley's spiderwort hugs the sandy flats and thornscrub openings of south Texas and Tamaulipas, sending up sprawling succulent stems topped with fragile three-petaled blossoms. Each flower opens for just a single morning, its delicate petals dissolving into watery gel as the intense afternoon heat arrives. Native solitary bees frequent the blooms to harvest pollen, drawn to the bright yellow anthers cushioned on feathery stamen filaments.

WildflowerPerennialEndemic
Buckley's Spiderwort reference
(c) Juan Cruzado Cortés, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Juan Cruzado Cortés · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil nutrients
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Cottontail Rabbit
  • Grasshopper
ThreatsHabitat loss from urban development, brush clearing, invasive exotic grasses
HabitatsSandy loam, coastal prairies, thornscrub openings, oak motts
Life spanPerennial (several years)
Classification
  1. OrderCommelinales
  2. FamilyCommelinaceae
  3. GenusTradescantia
  4. SpeciesTradescantia buckleyi
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice
Recognize it by its sprawling succulent stems, narrow channeled leaves, and pink to violet three-petaled flowers arising from leaf-like bracts.
Support conservation
Observe and photograph plants without picking stems or stepping on the delicate, sprawling branches.
Responsible observation
  • Timing: Search early on sunny mornings, as the ephemeral blossoms collapse and wither by midday.
  • Photography: Use a close-up lens to document the intricate, fuzzy hairs blanketing the stamen stalks.
  • Etiquette: Remain on established trails to protect fragile coastal prairie and scrub vegetation.
Related species
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