Heliotropium indicum

Heliotropium indicum, commonly known as Indian heliotrope, Indian turnsole is an annual, hirsute plant. It has a curved arrangement of small flowers and velvety broad green leaves.

Heliotropium indicum
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Boraginales
Family:	Boraginaceae
Genus:	Heliotropium
Species:	H. indicum
Binomial name
Heliotropium indicum L.
Synonyms
Heliophytum indicum Heliotropium parviflorum Tiaridium indicum

Native to Asia, it is a common weed in waste places and settled areas. It contains toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids but has been used in traditional medicine.

Description

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]

• 
  Leaves and flower
• 
  In Telangana, India

Distribution and habitat

The plant is native to Asia. It is a common weed in waste places and settled areas.^[1]

Toxicity

Heliotropium indicum contains tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.^[3]

Traditional medicine

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.^[4]

It is widely used in native medicine in Tamil Nadu, India.