‘Western Spiderwort’ (Tradescantia occidentalis) Study with Staedtler drawing pencils on Chartreuse card stock. (15cm x 15cm)
Western Spiderworts are also an endangered Canadian species protected by the Species at Risk Act.
“The Western Spiderwort is found in the central United States, from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in the south, to Montana and the Dakotas in the north. In Canada, the Western Spiderwort is at the northern limit of its range. It occurs at only four sites in the southern part of the Prairies: Pakowki Lake Sand Hills in southeastern Alberta, Douglas Provincial Park in Saskatchewan, and Lauder and Routledge sand hills in southwestern Manitoba. The two sites in Manitoba are connected to the main range of the species in the United States. Surveys from 1996 to 2002 indicate that the Western Spiderwort population in Canada has fluctuated from a low of about 15 000 to a high of about 50 000 plants, with the majority found at two Manitoba sites. In 2001, a year with low precipitation, the Alberta site had only 7 plants; in 2002, under more favourable conditions, 7 450 plants were counted.”
Smith, B. (2001). Status of the western spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis) in Alberta. Alberta Environment, Fisheries & Wildlife Management Division.
Home to a private collector in Leduc, Alberta.