Heliotropium indicum, commonly known as Indian heliotrope, Indian turnsole is an annual, hirsute plant that is a common weed in waste places and settled areas. It is native to Asia. It is widely used in native medicine in Tamil Nadu, India.
Heliotropium indicum | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Boraginales |
Family: | Boraginaceae |
Genus: | Heliotropium |
Species: |
H. indicum
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Binomial name | |
Heliotropium indicum | |
Synonyms | |
Heliophytum indicum |
It grows wildly on roadsides and has a curved arrangement of small flowers and velvety broad green leaves
Indian heliotrope is an annual, erect, branched plant that can grow to a height of about 15–50 cm (5.9–19.7 in). It has a hairy stem, bearing alternating ovate to oblong-ovate leaves. It has small white or purple flowers with a green calyx; five stamens borne on a corolla tube; a terminal style; and a four-lobed ovary.[1][2]
The plant is native to Asia. A common weed in waste places and settled areas.[1]
In the Philippines, the plant is chiefly used as a traditional medicine. The extracted juice from the pounded leaves of the plants is used on wounds, skin ulcers and furuncles.[citation needed] The juice is also used as an eye drop for conjunctivitis.[citation needed] The pounded leaves are used as poultice.[3]
Heliotropium indicum contains tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.[4]
Media related to Heliotropium indicum at Wikimedia Commons