Home | > | List of families | > | Boraginaceae | > | Heliotropium | > | indicum |
Synonyms: |
Heliophytum indicum (L.) DC. Tiaridium indicum (L.) Lehm. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | Locally abundant |
Status: | Possibly introduced |
Description: |
Erect annual or short-lived perennial herb, up to 150 cm. Leaves alternate to sub-opposite triangular-ovate, up to 17 cm long, upper surface wrinkled and with scattered bristles, somewhat more hairy below; base decurrent down the long petiole. Flowers in curled elongating inflorescences, eventually up to 36 cm long, white, rarely mauve or blue. Fruits deeply bilobed with diverging beaked lobes, c. 4 × 4 × 2.5 mm, almost hairless. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | indicum: of India |
Habitat: | In sandy or muddy soils on riverbanks, swamp edges, floodplains and grassland. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1100 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Origins uncertain but now pantropical and also in the southern United States of America. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | Utetheisa pulchella (Food plant) |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Sunday 15 February 2015 |
Literature: |
Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 30. Martins, E.S. (1990). Boraginaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(4) Pages 91 - 92. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 36. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 41. |
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