_________________________________________________________________
| NAMES |
|
| Family |
Boraginaceae (Borage Family) |
| Genus Species |
Heliotropium indicum |
| Synonyms |
|
| Common Names |
Indian Heliotrope, Turnsol |
| Etymology |
The name heliotrope originates from the old idea that the inflorescence of these plants turned their rows of flowers to the sun. The meaning of helios in Greek is sun and tropein from where the word tropium is derived means to turn. |
| Names Comments |
|
| Names Notes |
|
| DESCRIPTION |
|
| Duration |
|
| Habit |
Forb herb |
| Size |
|
| Leaves |
|
| Leaf Retention |
|
| Flowers |
|
| Flower Colors |
|
| Bloom Time |
|
| Fruit |
|
| Seeds |
|
| Thorns or Spines |
|
| Stems and Trunk |
|
| Bark |
|
| Roots |
|
| Similar To |
|
| Description Comments |
|
| Description Notes |
|
| LOCATION |
|
| Distribution |
|
| County |
Cameron, Hidalgo |
| USDA Profile |
HEIN |
| USDA Hardy Zone |
|
| Native to Area |
|
| RGV Sightings |
|
| On Display |
|
| Location Comments |
|
| Location Notes |
Resaca de la Palma State Park, Harlingen Arroyo Colorado |
| PROPAGATION |
|
| Water Requirement |
|
| Light Requirement |
|
| Soil Moisture |
|
| Soil Type |
|
| Habitat |
|
| Propagation Comments |
|
| Propagation Notes |
|
| USES |
|
| Commercial |
|
| Ornamental |
|
| Garden |
|
| Hedges |
|
| Lawn |
|
| Exotic |
|
| Uses Comments |
|
| LEGAL STATUS |
|
| Invasive |
|
| Pest |
|
| Endangered |
|
| Legal Notes |
|
| ETHNOBOTANY |
H. indicum has been used in different traditional and folklore systems of medicine for curing various diseases. An ethnopharma-cological survey revealed that, the traditional healers in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu, India use H. indicum to cure skin diseases, poison bites, stomachache and nervous disorders [Chellaiah M, Muniappan A, Nagappan R and Savarimuthu I: Medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu. Indian J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2006; 2: 43].
In some African countries, another ethnopharma-cological survey reports that H. indicum is believed to be useful in treating malaria, abdominal pain and dermatitis. The highest number of usages (22%) was reported for the treatment of malaria. [Togola A, Diallo D, Dembélé S, Barsett H and Paulsen BS: Ethnopharmacological survey of different uses of seven medicinal plants from Mali, (West Africa) in the regions Doila, Kolokani and Siby. J Ethnobiol Ethnomedicine 2005; 1(1): 7.]
The infusion of the flower is taken orally by females for the treatment of menorrhagia in Jamaica. [Asprey GF and Thornton P: Medicinal plants of Jamaica, Part-III. West Indian Med J 1955; 4(4): 69-82.]
In Rodrigues, the decoction of the entire plant is used externally for treating herpes and the paste of fresh plant is used externally for cleansing and dressing of wounds and ulcers. The sap of the stem is used orally by females for treating dysmenorrhea. [Gurib Fakim A, Swaeraj MD, Gueho J and Dulloo E: Medicinal plants of Rodrigues. Int J Pharmacog 2000; 34(1): 2-14.]
The hot water extract of the flower is taken orally by the females as an emmenagouge in small dose and abortive in large dose while a paste of fresh entire plant is used externally for treatment of head lice in the West Indies. [Ayensu ES: Medicinal plants of the West Indies. J. Pharm. 1978; 1(2): 100.]
In Thailand, the dried inflorescence is believed to produce permanent sterilization when taken orally in females. One gram of the dried and powdered inflorescence mixed with milk or water is used for three days beginning with the fourth day of menses to achieve the desired result. [Panthong A, Kanjanpothi D and Taylor WC: Ethnobotanical review of Medicinal plants from Thai traditional books, Part-I: Plants with antiinflamatory, antiasmatic and antihypertensive properties. J Ethnopharmacol 1986; 18(3): 213-228.]
Other folk remedies include use of decoction of the leaves for treatment of fever, insect bites, stings, diarrhoea, skin rashes, menstrual disorder and urticaria. The decoction of the leaves is also credited to be useful in curing insect stings (macerated with sugar cane juice), scorpion stings 10 and as abortive in large dose and emmenagouge in small dose. [Duttagupta S and Dutta PC: Pharmacognostic study of the leaf of Heliotropium indicum. J Crude Drug Res 1977; 15: 141.]
The leaf paste is applied externally to cure rheumatism in Rayal Seema in Andhra Pradesh, India 16 and skin infection in Nicaragua. [Barrett B: Medicinal plants of Nicaraguas Atlantic coast. Econ Bot 1994; 48(1): 8-20.]
The decoction of both leaf and root together is also used for treating whooping cough in children in Eastern Nicaragua. [Coee FG and Anderson GJ: Ethnobotany of the Garifuna of Eastern Nicaragua, Econ Bot 1996; 50(1): 7l-107.]
In Amazon, the paste of both leaf and root together is applied externally in scorpion stings, bug bites 19 while the paste is recommended for treating sores and warts in Taiwan. [Lin CC and Kan WS: Medicinal plants used for the treatment of hepatitis in Taiwan. Amer J Chinese Med 1990; 18(112): 35-43.]
In Malaysia, a paste made from the plant is applied to counteract putrefaction, to treat pyoderma and ringworm infection. In Burma, a decoction of the whole plant is used to treat gonorrhea while in Indonesia, an infusion of the leaves is used to soothe mouth sprue. A decoction of the dried roots is drunk in the Philippines to promote menses, while the seeds are used to treat cholera, malaria, and for wound-healing. [Wiart C: Medicinal Plants of the Asia-Pacific: Drugs for the Future? 2006, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., Singapore.] |
| Folk Wisdom |
|
| Edible |
|
| Symbolism or Ceremonial |
|
| Poisonous |
|
| Fuel |
|
| Construction |
|
| Wood |
|
| Fibers |
|
| Oil |
|
| Soap |
|
| Wax |
|
| Dye |
|
| Chemicals |
|
| Solvents |
|
| Adhesives |
|
| Reactants |
|
| Fluids |
|
| Alcohol |
|
| Fragrance |
|
| Utility Comments |
|
| Utility Notes |
|
| DOMESTIC ANIMAL USE |
|
| Horses |
|
| Cattle |
|
| Sheep |
|
| Goat |
|
| Swine |
|
| Domestic Animal Comments |
|
| Domestic Animal Notes |
|
| WILDLIFE USE |
|
| Deer |
|
| Predators |
|
| Small Mammals |
|
| Rodents |
|
| Birds |
|
| Butterflies |
|
| Insects |
|
| Reptiles |
|
| Worms |
|
| Wildlife Notes |
|
| Wildlife Comments |
|
| Field Notes |
|
| References |
|
| Photography Credits |
John Wagman 04/20/2016, Cameron County TX, Resaca del la Palma State Park |
| Photo GPS |
|
| Sort Category |
|
| Contributors |
|
| Links |
|
|
Family: Boraginaceae (Borage Family)
Genus Species: Heliotropium indicum
Synonyms:
Common Names: Indian Heliotrope, Turnsol
Images of Heliotropium indicum
|
- 
