Heliotropium ovalifolium (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Heliotropium ovalifolium Forssk.

Protologue: Fl. Aegypt.-Arab.: 38 (1775).

Distribution

Tropical Africa, Arabian Peninsula, India, Vietnam, Sumba, Timor and the Solomon Islands.

Uses

In West and Central Africa, H. ovalifolium is used in the treatment of syphilis, both as a strong purgative and as a topical application to syphilitic ulcers. It is reported to have analgesic action and is applied in hot poultices to treat severe pain.

Observations

• A perennial herb, sometimes with woody base, up to 40 cm tall, much branched, covered by appressed short hairs.
• Leaves oblong to obovate, 1-1.5 cm × 0.3-0.4 cm, tapering towards the base, apex obtuse, with silky hairs, petiole 0.1-0.5 cm long.
• Inflorescence a spike-like cyme, up to 4 cm long, ebracteate, flowers variably densely arranged in two ranks.
• Calyx densely covered by antrorse hairs, corolla funnel-shaped, 3 mm long, with dense antrorse hairs outside, lobes ovate-triangular to ovate, 0.8 mm long, white.
• Fruit consisting of 4 nutlets, densely antrorse hairy.

H. ovalifolium is found in valleys, on roadsides, in dried ponds and similar habitats.

Selected sources

• [201] Burkill, H.M., 1985-1997. The useful plants of West tropical Africa. Edition 2. 5 volumes. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, United Kingdom. Vol. 1 (1985), Families A-D, 960 pp.; Vol. 2 (1994), Families E-I, 636 pp.; Vol. 3 (1995), Families J-L, 857 pp.; Vol. 4 (1997), Families M-R, 969 pp.
• [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