Heliotropium curassavicum

Heliotropium curassavicum L.

Common Names: Seaside Heliotrope, Pond Weed

Family: Boraginaceae

Habit: Heliotropium curassavicum grows as a prostrate, herbaceous, perennial growing outwards to 50 cm from center and to 25 cm in height. The sessile leaves are arranged alternately, oblanceolate with a rounded/obtuse leaf apex. Vegetation is a slightly silver green color and slightly succulent.

The complete, perfect, slightly zygomorphic flowers are arranged in 2 rows along the rachis of the terminal or axillary, scorpoid cymes. The calyx has 5 fused at the base, green petals. The corolla has 5 fused white petals with a yellow center, with one lobe slight larger than the others.  There are 5 stamens fused to the base of the corolla.  The ovary is superior with 4 locules. The fruit is a capsule.

Habitat: Heliotropium curassavicum grows in Human Altered environments, open flats, and the edges of Fresh and Saltwater Wetlands.

Distribution: Heliotropium curassavicum occurs on all island groupings in the Lucayan Archipelago, the Caribbean, the Western Hemisphere. Now naturalized throughout tropical and subtropical regions globally.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Heliotropium curassavicum is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.