“Purple heart”

This plant and flower, “Tradescantia pallida 'Purpurea',” from the Commelinaceae family, are apparently known by many names: “Purple heart,” “Purple queen” and “Wandering Jew.” (Plant formerly called “Setcreasea purpurea.”) This image captures the “moniliform (beadlike) trichomes”; see http://phytoimages.siu.edu/imgs/paraman1/r/Commelinaceae_Tradescantia_pallida_12358.html

moniliform: “jointed or constricted at regular intervals so as to resemble a string of beads” (Merriam-Webster dictionary).

Species page at PhytoImages, http://phytoimages.siu.edu/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Tradescantia_pallida&rank=binomial

Photo taken at SIUC Plant Biology Greenhouse, http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/facilities/plant-biology-facilities/greenhouse/index.php

One year ago (“Pink swirls in green”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-04-12
Two years ago (“‘What a Diff’rence a Day Makes’!”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-04-12

[GazBadger]

Amazing close up... love this! Following =)

[Thom Mitchell]

@gazbadger Thanks very much! I can't remember now (yeah, I know it was only two days ago…), but I may have had a +4 close-up filter on my 18–55mm lens…

[Tara]

Excellent macro Thom. I love these plants. I have them by my mailbox. They come back every year.

[Rick Schies]

She is a beauty, and I like the lighting on this as it brings out her nice soft color