Common Name: Moses-in-the-cradle
Vernacular Name: മുത്തുച്ചിപ്പി ചെടി
Systematic position:
Class- Liliopsida
Subclass- Commelinidae
Order- Commeliniales
Family- Commelinaceae
Genus- Tradescantia
Species- T. spathacea
Description: Rhoeo discolor (referring to the leaves, green above, purple beneath) has stout, often clustered stems, about 20 centimeters long, or shorter, and few, oblong-lanceolate, pointed leaves from 20 to 35 centimeters long; the plant is wholly smooth, or the sheaths of the leaves bear a few, long hairs.
Flowering and Fruiting: August to November.
Economic Importance: Rhoeo discolor is a plant used in traditional medicine mainly due to its anticancer properties. The present work studied, for the first time, its use as a phytoremediation plant.
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradescantia_spathacea