Heliotropium

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Heliotropes
Heliotropium peruvianum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae (unranked) Euasterids I Order: Boraginales Family: Boraginaceae Genus: Heliotropium L.
Species
250-300, see text

The heliotropes (Heliotropium) is a genus of plants in the family Boraginaceae with 250 to 300 species.

The name "heliotrope" derives from the fact that these plants turn their leaves to the sun. Helios is Greek for "sun", tropein means "to turn". The old English name "turnsole" has the same etymology.

Contents 1 Ecology and human use 2 Selected species 2.1 Formerly included here 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Ecology and human use

Danainae butterflies like to visit these plants. One reason is to drink the sap which renders the butterflies noxious to predators. Some species collect olfactory compounds to produce a kind of "perfume" to attract mates. Caterpillars of the Grass Jewel (Freyeria trochylus), a gossamer-winged butterfly, feed on H. strigosum.

Several heliotropes are popular garden plants, most notably Garden Heliotrope (H. arborescens). Some species are weeds and many are hepatotoxic if eaten in large quantities due to abundant pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The sap of heliotrope flowers, namely of European Heliotrope (H. europaeum), was used as a food coloring in Middle Ages and Early Modern French cuisine.

One of the most famous ragtime piano melodies is Heliotrope Bouquet, composed in 1907 by Louis Chauvin (the first two strains) and Scott Joplin (the last two strains).

Common heliotrope is grown in Southern Europe as an ingredient for perfume.^[1]

[edit] Selected species

• Heliotropium amplexicaule – Summer Heliotrope
• Heliotropium anderssonii
• Heliotropium anomalum – Polynesian Heliotrope, Pacific Heliotrope
  • Heliotropium anomalum var. argenteum – hinahina, hinahina ku kahakai, nohonohopuuone, pohinahina (Hawaiian)
• Heliotropium arborescens – Garden Heliotrope, Common Heliotrope, "Cherry Pie"
• Heliotropium argenteum
• Heliotropium asperrimum R.Br.
• Heliotropium balfourii
• Heliotropium bracteatum R.Br.
• Heliotropium conocarpum F.Muell. ex Benth.
• Heliotropium crispatum F.Muell. ex Benth.
• Heliotropium diversifolium F.Muell. ex Benth.
• Heliotropium claussenii DC.
• Heliotropium convolvulaceum – Sweet-scented Heliotrope, Showy Heliotrope
• Heliotropium curassavicum – Seaside Heliotrope, Salt Heliotrope, Chinese Parsley, Monkey Tail, Quail Plant; cola de mico (Spanish)
• Heliotropium dentatum
• Heliotropium derafontense
• Heliotropium ellipticum
• Heliotropium epacrideum F.Muell. ex Benth.
• Heliotropium europaeum – European Heliotrope, European Turnsole
• Heliotropium fasciculatum R.Br.
• Heliotropium flintii F.Muell. ex A.S.Mitch.
• Heliotropium foertherianum Diane & Hilger
• Heliotropium foliatum R.Br.
• Heliotropium glabellum R.Br.
• Heliotropium heteranthum (F.Muell.) Ewart & O.B.Davies
• Heliotropium indicum
• Heliotropium kuriense
• Heliotropium laceolatum Loefg.
• Heliotropium nigricans
• Heliotropium paniculatum R.Br.
• Heliotropium pannifolium – St Helena Heliotrope (extinct: c.1820)
• Heliotropium pauciflorum R.Br.
• Heliotropium paulayanum
• Heliotropium peruvianum
• Heliotropium pleiopterum F.Muell.
• Heliotropium procumbens
• Heliotropium prostratum R.Br.
• Heliotropium riebeckii
• Heliotropium shoabense
• Heliotropium socotranum
• Heliotropium strigosum Willd.
• Heliotropium tenuifolium R.Br.
• Heliotropium ventricosum R.Br.
• Heliotropium wagneri
• Heliotropium aff. wagneri "Samhah"

[edit] Formerly included here

• Chrozophora tinctoria (as H. tricoccum)

[edit] See also

• Turnsole

[edit] References

• Everitt, J.H.; Lonard, R.L. & Little, C.R.: (2007): Weeds in South Texas and Northern Mexico. Texas Tech University Press, Lubbock. ISBN 0-89672-614-2

[edit] External links

• A Heliotrope at Gardener's Path
• Pictures of Heliotropes at The Old House Web