Heliotropium indicum L.

Turnsole; Indian Heliotrope

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Turnsole is an introduced annual in the Heliotrope family (Heliotropaceae). It is native to Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, but has become widely established in tropical and subtropical areas around the globe. It Alabama it is found state-wide. Turnsole grows on river banks, on exposed pond and lake bottoms, and in disturbed wetlands. It is an annual with a tap root. Stems are erect and 2-3 feet in height. Stems are green in color and pubescent with long white hairs. Leaves are alternate, petiolate with winged petioles, ovate to oblong in outline, with toothed margins. The leaves are pubescent with white hairs on both surfaces. The inflorescence is a helicoid cyme. Flowers are blue in color and the corolla is five lobed. The fruit is a dry and deeply 2-lobed schizocarp. It splits into 2 1-seeded mericarps.--A. Diamond

**

Not Native FAC+ (NWPL)

**