Tradescantia micrantha Torrey in W. H. Emory, Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 224. 1859; Phyodina micrantha (Torrey) D. R. Hunt

Herbs, perennial, creeping, succulent. Stems 3--30 cm. Leaves ± conduplicate; blade oblong-elliptic to lanceolate-oblong, 1--3.5 ´ 0.3--0.8 cm (distal leaf blades much narrower than sheaths when sheaths opened, flattened), margins ciliolate, glabrous. Inflorescences sessile or nearly sessile, subtended by 0--2 leaves that resemble spathaceous bracts, these leaves. Flowers pedicellate; pedicels 0.8--1.2 cm, glabrous or nearly so; sepals strongly keeled, 0.4--0.5 mm, shortly, densely pubescent on keel; petals bright pink to rose, ovate, 0.5--0.7 cm; stamens 6; filaments bearded. Capsules 3-locular, 2 mm. Seeds 1.5 mm. 2n = 24.

Flowering spring--fall (May--Sep). Sandy or clayey soils in open oak or mesquite woods and prairies; Tex.; Mexico.

The generic placement of this species requires some explanation because the leaves subtending the inflorescence resemble the bracts of species of Tradescantia. The interpretation of D. R. Hunt (1986b), which I am following, is that the true bracts are small and are borne distal to those leaves.