Heliotropium amplexicaule

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Heliotropium amplexicaule

Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Boraginales
Family:	Boraginaceae
Genus:	Heliotropium
Species:	H. amplexicaule
Binomial name
*Heliotropium amplexicaule* Vahl
Synonyms
Cochranea anchusifolia Heliotropium anchusifolium

Heliotropium amplexicaule is a species of heliotrope known by several common names, including clasping heliotrope, blue heliotrope, and summer heliotrope. It is native to South America, especially Argentina, but it is known on several other continents where it is an introduced species, and in some areas such as eastern Australia, a noxious weed.

This is a clumpy perennial herb growing branching, hairy stems to about half a meter in maximum height. It has abundant foliage of oblong wavy-edged green leaves four to nine centimeters long. The curving terminal spike inflorescences hold several tiny bright purple flowers with rounded lobes and tubular yellow throats. The fruits are paired rough-surfaced nutlets.

Biological pest control is being investigated for reducing the spread of this plant in New South Wales and surrounding areas in Australia. The blue heliotrope leaf beetle, Deuterocampta quadrijuga, has shown promise, as has the flea beetle now called blue heliotrope flea beetle (Longitarsus spp.).

Toxicity

Heliotropium amplexicaule contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids and is poisonous.^[1] This plant competes with desirable pastures and causes toxicity to stock.^[2]

References

^ The MERCK Veterinary Manual, Table 5. "Important Poisonous Vascular Plants of Australia". Archived from the original on 2010-11-17. Retrieved 2010-11-17.
^ Weed profile: Blue heliotrope Retrieved 19 May 2009

External links

Taxon identifiers

Heliotropium amplexicaule

Wikidata: Q13552641
Wikispecies: Heliotropium amplexicaule
AoFP: 1936
APA: 1174
APDB: 77209
APNI: 88977
BioLib: 212958
Calflora: 4058
Cal-IPC: heliotropium-amplexicaule
CoL: 3KC9K
eFloraSA: Heliotropium_amplexicaule
EoL: 580405
EPPO: HEOAM
EUNIS: 162423
FNA: 242416644
GBIF: 2925790
GRIN: 401698
iNaturalist: 77363
IPA: 22435
IPNI: 116657-1
IRMNG: 10200470
ISC: 80321
ITIS: 31641
NatureServe: 2.144089
NBN: NHMSYS0000459283
NCBI: 168337
NTFlora: 22479
NZOR: 72631929-b29d-4406-ba37-9ab9fdfcb745
Observation.org: 118488
Open Tree of Life: 109443
PFI: 4248
Plant List: kew-2843765
PLANTS: HEAM4
POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:116657-1
SANBI: 1499-2
Tropicos: 4000437
VicFlora: 25ed11ec-f543-416e-9d96-49b6311e6b57
WFO: wfo-0000718382

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