Tradescantia loureiroana Schultes & J. H. Schultes in Roemer & Schultes, Syst. Veg. 7: 1178. 1830, based on T. geniculata Loureiro, Fl. Cochinch. 1: 193. 1790, not Jacquin (1760); Cyanotis geniculata C. B. Clarke.

Herbs annual; roots fibrous. Stems branched and twisting, red. Leaves all cauline; leaf blade linear-lanceolate or lanceolate, abaxially glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Cincinni solitary, terminal; peduncle 2.5--6 cm; bracts 5--13 mm. Sepals connate at base, lanceolate, 5--6 mm, abaxially lanate. Petals blue or blue-purple, 6--8 mm. Filaments blue lanate. Capsule trigonous, ca. 2 mm, hirsutulous at apex. Seeds gray-brown, finely reticulate. Fl. winter.

The concept of Cyanotis loureiroana has not been well understood, and Clarke (in A. de Candolle & C. de Candolle, Monogr. Phan. 3: 250. 1881) treated it as a doubtful species. It is similar in appearance to C. papilionacea, in which the rosulate, basal leaves are smaller or absent, but to C. cristata in capsule features.

Open places. SW Guangdong (Xuwen Xian), Hainan [Vietnam].