Indian Heliotrope

heliotropium indicum

The Indian Heliotrope is an annual, coarse, erect herb famous for its distinctive coiled flower spikes that resemble a scorpion's tail. Found widely in tropical and subtropical regions around the globe, this resilient plant thrives in disturbed soils, waste places, and along riverbanks. Historically, it has held a prominent place in traditional medicine across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where its leaves have been used to treat skin conditions, inflammation, and wounds. Modern science, however, cautions against its internal consumption due to toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver damage. This botanical curiosity plays an intriguing ecological role, particularly as an essential source of chemical defense compounds for various species of butterflies and moths.

生息地: Typically found in open, damp, disturbed areas such as roadsides, waste fields, riverbanks, and agricultural edges across tropical and subtropical regions.

外見

Indian Heliotrope typically grows between 15 and 80 centimeters tall, featuring a hairy, branched stem and dark green, ovate to oblong leaves with deeply wrinkled, rough textures. Its most recognizable feature is the terminal, scorpioid spike—a curved cluster of tiny, five-lobed flowers that are pale violet, lavender, or white with yellow centers. These miniature blossoms open sequentially from the base to the coiled tip, giving the inflorescence a dynamic, tail-like appearance that gradually unfurls as it matures.

界Plantae門Tracheophyta綱Magnoliopsida目Boraginales科Boraginaceae属Heliotropium

Indian Heliotrope

カテゴリ

植物

レア度

Common

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

スナップ

最初にスナップしよう！

おもしろい事実

In several regions, the plant is known as 'scorpion weed' or 'scorpion tail' due to the distinctive coiled architecture of its inflorescence.

Male butterflies of certain species actively search for damaged tissues of this plant to harvest alkaloids that are crucial for attracting mates.

The generic name Heliotropium comes from the Greek words 'helios' (sun) and 'tropos' (turn), referring to an ancient belief that the flower spikes turned to face the sun.

特殊能力

The flower spike is tightly coiled like a scorpion's tail and gradually uncoils as the tiny flowers bloom sequentially from base to tip, optimizing pollination efficiency.

Synthesizes toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids that deter herbivorous mammals and generalist insects from feeding on its foliage.

Features an adaptable, fast-growing root system that allows it to rapidly establish and thrive in poor, compacted, or heavily disturbed soils.

サイズと詳細

長さ: 15-80 cm
体重: 0.05-0.3 kg
寿命: 1 年

食性と食事

Synthesizes its own organic compounds through photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and essential soil minerals.

主な食物

Sunlight
Carbon dioxide
Water
Soil nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium

生態系とのつながり

mutualism

Plain Tiger Butterfly

Danaus chrysippus

Male butterflies visit the withered or injured parts of the plant to scrape and ingest pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which they use to synthesize courtship pheromones.

eaten by

Crimson Speckled Moth

Utetheisa pulchella

The caterpillars of this moth feed on the foliage of Boraginaceae plants, sequestering pyrrolizidine alkaloids for their own defense against predators.

特徴

このオブジェクトにはまだ特徴バッジが割り当てられていません。

別名

まだ別名はありません。

コレクション

テーマが追加されると、このオブジェクトのコレクションがここに表示されます。

安全性

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

まだ特別な安全上の注意はありません。

よくある質問

Indian Heliotropeを見分けるには？

Indian Heliotropeを識別する最も簡単な方法は、Snappit自然識別アプリを使用することです。

Indian Heliotropeの長さは何ですか？

15-80 cm

Indian Heliotropeの体重は何ですか？

0.05-0.3 kg

Indian Heliotropeの寿命は何ですか？

1 年

Indian Heliotropeは何を食べますか？

Synthesizes its own organic compounds through photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and essential soil minerals.

Indian Heliotropeは通常どこに生息していますか？

Typically found in open, damp, disturbed areas such as roadsides, waste fields, riverbanks, and agricultural edges across tropical and subtropical regions.