Medicinal Herbs， 草药，
如意兰
Herbs: Moses-in-the-cradle
Other Names: Boat Lily, Moses in a basket, oyster plant, Rhoeo spathacea, Tradescantia spathacea,
Moses in the Cradle is a warmth-loving plant,
so it’s best kept as an ornamental houseplant.
Tradescantia spathacea, the boatlily or Moses-in-the-cradle, is a herb in the Commelinaceae family first described in 1788. It is native to Belize, Guatemala, and southern Mexico but widely cultivated as an ornamental and naturalized in parts of Florida, Texas, Hawaii, and various oceanic islands.
Description
A tropical sculptural herbaceous perennial plant that works well in containers but must be brought inside during cold winters. Works well as a houseplant. Desired for its unusual inflorescence and attractive foliage. Look for the purple underside of the leaf and the unusual bract-enclosed flowers to distinguish this plant from bromeliads.
THE USE OF Tradescantia Spathacea:
It is also used in traditional medicine in Mexico and southeast Asia, where the flowers and leaves are used to treat cancer, superficial mycoses, coughs, colds, and dysentery. Scientific papers on the medicinal value of Tradescantia spathacea have been published, and it has been reported to possess anti-microbial, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-fertility activities.