Heliotropium ovalifolium Forssk.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Road no8 between 4 and 11, Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Urema River, near Road 11 crossing, Gorongosa National Park.

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Synonyms:	Heliotropium coromandelianum Retz. Heliotropium phyllosepalum Baker
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Decumbent annual or perennial herb, sometimes erect, up to 60 cm. Leaves alternate, numerous, obovate or elliptic, covered in long and short silvery hairs; margin slightly revolute. Flowers in elongated inflorescences, eventually up to 17 cm, white with yellow inside the corolla tube, hairy on the outside. Fruits 1.5 × 2 mm, depressed subglobular, densely covered in short hairs.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	ovalifolium: with oval (elliptic) leaves
Habitat:	In sandy or muddy soils on riverbanks, swamp edges, floodplains and grassland. Also along roadsides and on waste grounds.
Altitude range:	Up to 1300 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical and subtropical Africa, Madagascar, Arabia, india and Pakistan.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,T,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:	Utetheisa pulchella (Food plant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 12 March 2016
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 31. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 20. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 354. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 30. Martins, E.S. (1990). Boraginaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(4) Pages 87 - 88. (Includes a picture). Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 44. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 41. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 201. Wild, H. (1955). Common Rhodesian Weeds Government of Rhodesia, Salisbury Page 81. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Heliotropium ovalifolium:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Heliotropium ovalifolium
Flora of Caprivi: Heliotropium ovalifolium
Flora of Malawi: Heliotropium ovalifolium
Flora of Zambia: Heliotropium ovalifolium
Flora of Zimbabwe: Heliotropium ovalifolium

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Heliotropium ovalifolium
African Plant Database: Heliotropium ovalifolium
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Heliotropium ovalifolium
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Heliotropium ovalifolium
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Heliotropium ovalifolium
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Heliotropium ovalifolium
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Heliotropium ovalifolium
JSTOR Plant Science: Heliotropium ovalifolium
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Heliotropium ovalifolium
Plants of the World Online: Heliotropium ovalifolium
Tropicos: Heliotropium ovalifolium
Wikipedia: Heliotropium ovalifolium