Heliotropium ternatum Vahl

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Boraginaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Heliotropium ternatum Vahl

  • Description

    Species Description - Densely sericeous subshrub or herb to 50 cm tall, many branched from a woody base. Leaves nearly opposite, in whorls of 3 or seldom alternate; blades 1-2.5 x 0.4-0.8 cm, linear elliptic or lanceolate, coriaceous, sericeous (especially on lower surface), main vein prominent on lower surface, the apex acute, the base obtuse, the margins strongly revolute; petioles 1-2 mm long. Flowers in terminal, coiled, unbranched spikes, 2-3 cm long. Sepals awl-shaped, 4-5 mm long, sericeous; corolla white, trumpet-shaped, the tube 4-5 mm long, yellowish inside, the lobes spreading, 1.5-2 mm long; anthers and stigma included in tube. Fruit nearly globose, slightly lobed, ca. 2 mm long, densely strigose, splitting into 2 nutlets.

  • Discussion

    Heliotropium fruticosum sensu Griseb., Fl. Brit. W. I. 486. 1862, n o n L . , 1759

  • Distribution

    In open, dry areas. Dittlif Point (A3977), Lameshur (B602), Maria Bluff (A2333). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Virgin Gorda; throughout the West Indies and northern South America.

    Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| West Indies| South America| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|