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Useful Tropical Plants

Heliotropium elongatum

Hoffm. ex Roem. & Schult.

Boraginaceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name:

Heliotropium elongatum
Flowering plant
Photograph by: Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil
Creative Commons License
Heliotropium elongatum Heliotropium elongatum Heliotropium elongatum Heliotropium elongatum

General Information

Heliotropium elongatum is a shrub.
The plant is gathered from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

No specific mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, but many members of this plant family (Boraginaceae) are known to contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These alkaloids have a cumulative effect upon the body and, unless concentrations in a plant are high, occasional use is generally completely safe. They are derived from amino acids including ornithine. Many pyrrolizidine alkaloids have pronounced hepatic toxicity, but the lungs and other organs may be affected as well. Mutagenic and carcinogenic activities of pyrrolizidine alkaloids have also been reported[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Botanical References


Range

S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height0.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is antiasthmatic, astringent, diuretic and resolvent[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
The roots, leaves and flowers are used as a cure for anthrax; inflammations of the anus; ulcers caused by syphilis; jaundice; affections of the liver, spleen and bladder[
461
Title
Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
Publication
 
Author
Correa M.P.
Publisher
Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
],

The flowers are pectoral[
461
Title
Diccionario das Plantas Uteis do Brasil
Publication
 
Author
Correa M.P.
Publisher
Imprensa Nacional; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1926
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in 6 volumes giving details of the various uses of Brazilian plants.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Heliotropium+elongatum>

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