Scientific name Heliotropium | Order (unplaced) | |
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Lower classifications Heliotropium arborescens, Heliotropium indicum, Heliotropium europaeum, Heliotropium curassavicum, Heliotropium foertherianum | ||
Heliotropium arborescens lord roberts cherry pie garden heliotrope hd 01
Heliotropium /ˌhiːliəˈtroʊpiəm, -lioʊ-/ is a genus of flowering plants in the borage family, Boraginaceae. There are 250 to 300 Species in this genus, which are commonly known as heliotropes (sg. /ˈhiːL..ətroʊp/).
Contents
- Heliotropium arborescens lord roberts cherry pie garden heliotrope hd 01
- Plants of oman heliotropium bacciferum
- Etymology
- Ecology and human use
- Selected species
- Formerly included here
- References
Plants of oman heliotropium bacciferum
Etymology
The name "heliotrope" derives from the old idea that the inflorescences of these plants turned their rows of flowers to the sun. Ἥλιος (Helios) is Greek for "sun", τρέπειν (trepein) means "to turn". The Middle English name "turnsole" has the same meaning.
Ecology and human use
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. There have been cases of canine death due to over-ingestion of this toxic plant. Some danaine butterflies, such as male queen butterflies, visit these plants, being attracted to their pyrrolizidine alkaloids Though it is not palatable and most animals will completely ignore it, there have been cases of horses, swine and cattle being poisoned due to contamination of hay.
Caterpillars of the grass jewel (Freyeria trochylus), a gossamer-winged butterfly, feed on H. strigosum.
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).
Garden heliotrope is grown in Southern Europe as an ingredient for perfume.
The purplish facial rash of dermatomyositis is called "heliotrope rash" because it resembles E. arborescens.
Selected species
