Heliotropium curassavicum (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
- Protologue: Sp. pl. 1: 130 (1753).
Distribution
A native of the Americas from Patagonia to the United States and the West Indies; in Malesia occasionally occurring as a weed in Java and the Philippines.
Uses
In the Americas the dried roots are ground to powder and applied to sores and wounds. In Curaçao a decoction of the plant is taken as a remedy for leucorrhoea. It is also taken as a substitute for H. indicum.
Observations
- An annual, prostrate to ascending, subsucculent herb.
- Leaves oblong, spatulate to linear, 1-5 cm × 0.3-1 cm, glabrous, with short petiole.
- Inflorescence a spike-like cyme, 3-10 cm long, dense, usually forked once, ebracteate.
- Calyx glabrous, corolla 1-2.5(-3) cm long with 5 rounded lobes, white or bluish with a yellow centre, stigma an umbrella-shaped disk on a short style.
- Fruit breaking up into 4 nutlets about 2 mm long, glabrous.
In its native countries H. curassavicum is found in wet places, along the sea-shore and in similar habitats.
Selected sources
- [97] Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink Jr, R.C., 1963-1968. Flora of Java. 3 volumes. Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands. Vol. 1 (1963) 647 pp., Vol. 2 (1965) 641 pp., Vol. 3 (1968) 761 pp.
- [221] Catalfamo, J.L., Martin Jr, W.B. & Birecka, H., 1982. Accumulation of alkaloids and their necines in Heliotropium curassavicum, H. spathulatum and H. indicum. Phytochemistry 21(11): 2669-2675.
- [287] Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, 1948-1976. The wealth of India: a dictionary of Indian raw materials & industrial products. 11 volumes. Publications and Information Directorate, New Delhi, India.
- [921] Matthew, K.M., 1981-1988. The flora of the Tamilnadu Carnatic. 4 volumes. The Rapinat Herbarium, St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli, India.
- [1229] Riedl, H., 1997. Boraginaceae. In: Kalkman, C., Kirkup, D.W., Nooteboom, H.P., Stevens, P.F. & de Wilde, W.J.J.O. (Editors): Flora Malesiana. Series 1. Vol. 13. Rijksherbarium/Hortus Botanicus, Leiden, the Netherlands. pp. 43-144.
Main genus page
- Heliotropium (Medicinal plants)
Authors
- Wongsatit Chuakul, Noppamas Soonthornchareonnon & Promjit Saralamp
