Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Metachlamydeae: Boraginales

Boraginaceae - Borage family

Martins, E.S. (1990) Boraginaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(4)

Description of the family

Herbs, shrubs or trees, often hispid or scabrid. Stipules 0. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite or subopposite, simple. Inflorescence usually a cyme, which is often scorpioidal, sometimes a panicle or raceme. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, actinomorphic or sometimes zygomorphic. Calyx usually 5-lobed. Corolla 5-lobed. Stamens (or staminodes) as many as corolla lobes. Ovary superior, entire or 4-lobed; 2(-4)-locular. Style 1, terminal or gynobasic. Fruit mostly consisting of 4 nutlets, less often 1 nutlet or a drupe.

Worldwide: 130 genera and 2,300 species, cosmopolitan, but especially common in the Mediterranean area and E Asia.

Zimbabwe: 6 cultivated genera and 11 cultivated taxa.

Cordia africana

Links to cultivated genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Anchusa L.Description
Borago L.Description
Cordia L.Description, Image
Echium L.Description
Heliotropium L.Description
Symphytum Tourn. ex L.

Other sources of information about Boraginaceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Boraginaceae
Flora of Caprivi: Boraginaceae
Flora of Malawi: Boraginaceae
Flora of Mozambique: Boraginaceae
Flora of Zambia: Boraginaceae
Flora of Zambia: cultivated Boraginaceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: Boraginaceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Boraginaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Boraginaceae
Wikipedia: Boraginaceae


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-23

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2023). Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated plants: Family page: Boraginaceae.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/cult/family.php?family_id=36, retrieved 26 March 2023

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