Heliotropium sarmentosum (Lam.) Craven

Boraginaceae

Craven, L.A. (2005) Blumea 50: 380.

Vine stem diameters to 4 cm recorded. Bark sometimes shed in long narrow flakes.

Leaf blades about 7-15.5 x 3.5-8 cm, petioles about 1-2 cm long. Leaf blades glabrous or almost glabrous on the upper side but variously hairy on the lower surface. Leaf blades brittle, breaking when folded back on themselves. When broken, leaf twigs emit an odour like that of liniment.

Flowers sessile, 5-6 mm diam. Sepals about 1.5-2 mm long, outer surface pubescent. Corolla tube about 12 mm long, green except for the white apical region, lobes about 2.5 mm long. Ovary about 2.5-3 mm long.

Fruits globular, about 4-5 mm diam., 4-celled, calyx hairy, persistent at the base of the fruit and style persistent in a hollow at the apex. Pyrenes (endocarp + seed) about 2-3 mm long, usually 1-4 per fruit. Endosperm not copious. Embryo about 1.5-3 mm long, cotyledons about twice as wide and slightly longer than the radicle.

Features not available.

Occurs in CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards as far as coastal central Queensland. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 900 m. Grows in gallery forest and well developed lowland and upland rain forest. Also occurs in Taiwan and Malesia.

This species has been used medicinally in Papua New Guinea. Cribb (1981).

Tournefortia sarmentosa Lam., Tableau Encyclopedique et Methodique 1 : 416(1792), Type: Ex ins. Franciae. Sonnerat Holo: P; Fide Craven (2005). Tournefortia acclinis F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 4: 95(1864), Type: Ad sinum Broad Sound et rivum Amity Creek, Bowman; ad sinum Edgecombe Bay, Dallachy. Tournefortia glabrifolia Domin, Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 1098(1928), Type: Nordost-Queensland: Regenwalder bei Harveys Creek (DOMIN I. 1910). Tournefortia sarmentosa var. magnifolia Domin, Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 1097(1928), Type: Tropisch-Queensland: A. DIETRICH No. 724. Tournefortia orientalis R.Br., Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae : 497(1810), Type: Endeavour River(?), Banks & Solander, 1770.