Heliotropium indicum L., Boraginaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Bicolano: buntot-leon

Chamorro: berbena

English: erysipelas plant, Indian heliotrope, scorpion weed, turnsole, wild clary

Filipino: punta elepante

French: herbe papillon

Ilocano: pengnga-pengnga

Spanish: alacrancillo, borraja de la tierra, cola de alacrán, cola de escorpion, flor de alacrán, heliotropo silvestre, hierba de alacrán, largatillo, pico de zope

Tagalog: buntot-leon

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb, slightly woody at base, with a long taproot, stem erect, unbranched or branches few, 30-80 cm tall; leaves alternate or sometimes subopposite, distinctly petiolate, petioles to 5 cm long, blade long-decurrent on petiole from a subtruncate base, ovate-deltoid, margin slightly wavy-crisped, 2.5-10 cm long, 1-5 cm wide, acute (blunt), lateral veins 4-7 pairs; inflorescence terminal, simple or rarely once-forked, flowers along one side, sessile, tip coiled, axis up to 20 cm long; lowest flowers opening first; flowers pale violet (lilac) with a yellow throat, but fading to dull white, calyx-lobes linear-lanceolate, ciliate, 2 mm long; corolla-tube 4-5 mm long; lobes rounded; fruit 3.5 mm long, ovoid, ribbed, separating into 2 nutlets each 2-celled, 3-3.5 mm long" (Stone, 1970; p. 500).

Habitat/ecology:  "It is usually associated with the moist rich soils of the lowland tropics near rivers and lakes, on dikes and roadsides, and in waste places, fallow rice fields, pools, ditches, or muddy soils which dry out periodically.  The plant prospers in open sunny areas.  It may also be found in moist sandy soils or in shallow swamps" (Holm et al., 1977; p. 291).

Moist uplands in the Galápagos Islands (McMullen, 1999; p. 219). In New Caledonia, "peu commun dans la végétation secondaire d'endroits humides" (MacKee, 1994; p. 24).

Propagation:  "Reproduces by seeds which are produced in quantity on the long, curled, one-sided spikes.  The plants flower all year round in the Philippines" (Holm et al., 1977; p. 291).

Native range:  Paleotropical, now a pan-tropical weed.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	probably introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1980) (p. 212) Voucher cited: Falanruw 3270 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 62) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-58986
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 231)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 231)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 231)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 38) Voucher cited: Evans 2440 (US, BISH, Fo, NY)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 231)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	native	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 231) Ualan
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (1998) (p. 17)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 500)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 231)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 24) Vouchrs cited: Franc s.n. (BM), Blanchon 1365 (NOU), MacKee 27690, MacKee 27721, MacKee 36257, MacKee 40603
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 231)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 38)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 92)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 80)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	introduced invasive	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 293)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 293)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 293-294)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 293-294)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 293-294)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 38)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	introduced invasive	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
Negara Brunei Darussalam Brunei	Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam)	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 38)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 293-294)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 293)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	introduced invasive	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	introduced invasive	Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 115) Naturalized
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 293)

Additional information:  Additional online information about Heliotropium indicum is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Heliotropium indicum may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Cardenas, Juan/Reys, Carlos E./Doll, Jerry D./Pardo, Fernando. 1972. Tropical weeds; malezas tropicales, vol. 1. International Plant Protection Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 341 pp.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1975. Vascular flora of the northern Marianas Islands. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 22:1-45.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1980. Additional records of vascular plants from the northern Mariana Islands. 2. Micronesica 16: 211-214.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. 1977. The world’s worst weeds: distribution and biology. East-West Center/University Press of Hawaii. 609 pp.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim. 1998. Checklist of the plants of Pohnpei. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 21 pp.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McMullen, C. K. 1999. Flowering plants of the Galápagos. Comstock Pub. Assoc., Ithaca, N.Y. 370 p.

Ohba, T. 1994. Flora and vegetation of the northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. Biological Expedition to the Northern Mariana Islands, Micronesia. In A. Asakua & T. Furuki, eds.  Natural History Research, Special issue no. 1, Chiba, Japan: Natural History Museum and Institute. pp. 13-69.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

Tassin, Jacques. 2005. Jacques Tassin (IAC-CIRAD), personal communication.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Waterhouse, D. F. 1993. The major invertebrate pests and weeds of agriculture in Southeast Asia. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 141 pp.