Echium vulcanorum

Echium vulcanorum is a species of flowering plants of the family Boraginaceae. The species is endemic to Cape Verde.^[2] It is listed as an endangered plant by the IUCN.^[1] The species was first described in 1935 by Auguste Chevalier.^[3] Its local name is língua-de-vaca (cow tongue), a name that may also refer to the related species Echium hypertropicum and Echium stenosiphon.^[4] The oil of its seeds contains γ-linolenic acid, and is used for medicinal and dietary purposes.^[5]

Echium vulcanorum
Echium vulcanorum on Chã das Caldeiras
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Boraginales
Family:	Boraginaceae
Genus:	Echium
Species:	E. vulcanorum
Binomial name
Echium vulcanorum A.Chev., 1935

Description

Echium Vulcanorum near Pico do Fogo.

The plant is a very branched shrub that reaches 1–2 m height. Its leaves are lanceolate and 5-7  cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. Its flowers are white, rarely bluish.^[3] Although the plant can have flowers all year long, the most display occurs in the spring when the plant is covered in enormous, cone-shaped clusters of blossoms. Each funnel-shaped blossom has blue streaks radiating from its center and is pearly white with a length of little under an inch. Bees are very fond of the blossoms. Echium vulcanorum is a long-lived species that flower beautifully for several years, in contrast to many Echium species that only flower once before dying.^[6]

Distribution and ecology

Echium vulcanorum is restricted to the island of Fogo, where it occurs between 1,600 and 2,400 m elevation, in semi-arid zones.^[3]