T. albiflora is a synonym for T. fluminensis.

http://www.catalogueoflife.org...

Hello! I am simply trying to alleviate a lot of confusion within this family of plants. And the information you have posted is incorrect. Tradescantia albiflora and Tradescantia fluminensis are 2 different plants. By considering them the same plant, you are excluding several plants and continuing this confusion. They have been incorrectly considered the same plant at one time and unfortunately some still keep relaying this incorrect information. I am simply trying to share my expertise and clear up a lot of confusion. I can share pictures comparing these 2 different plants as well as different varieties of each. Fluminensis are the small leafed plants, Albiflora has large leaves. This picture show 4 different varieties of each species. Please reconsider the information you have and help the gardening community understand what these beauties are.

I appreciate your efforts to clear up the confusion you perceive, but external differences (small leaves, large leaves) are largely irrelevant in taxonomy, and our database follows taxonomic rules. The link I provided in my earlier response shows that the latest taxonomic scrutiny of these plants took place in August 2017, and the information posted in the link is dated 26 February 2018. Botanists have determined that these are not two different plants and we therefore list one as a synonym for the other. If the taxonomic status of the plants changes in the future, our listings will then reflect that change.

Well, I am disappointed to read your response. The catalog of life's reference for albiflora is dated 1843. It appears to be updated regularly, but it does not mean they go through and genetically test all the plants in the genus and say okay we have confirmed these are the same. They are carrying over information from the year before over & over. Not that many people care about Tradescantia so, unfortunately little time is put into differentiating the difference species & varieties. I was pretty sure the gardening community was aware that the family Commelinaceae is extremely unorganized by the scientific community. I provided a published research paper (2011) that looked at the molecular compounds of different plants and provided evidence that T fluminensis & T albiflora are different plants at the molecular level, let alone the fact that they look nothing alike. I thought this site was about sharing ones plants & information. I don't pretend to know about other families plants, but I know Commelinaceae better then most. I have 12 different varieties of fluminensis & 8 different varieties of albiflora. They are indeed very different plants.

You are both right in a sense. The two botanical names are synonyms. The problem is that non-botanists have applied the name T. albiflora to T. cerinthoides cultivars and it's hybrids with T. fluminensis. They are practically different but the meaning of botanical publications is paramount over human errors in the trade. A new name for these "Albiflora Group Hybrids" is forthcoming perhaps after some DNA work is done. One cannot resurrect a old synonym like albiflora and apply it to another species and its hybrids. Simply not allowed and it would continue confusion anyhow. Check out our taxonomic study at cultivar.org (like Commelinaceae) and hopefully some new names and keys will be out soon.