Heliotropium arboreum
Heliotropium arboreum | |
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In the Hawaiian Islands | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Boraginales |
Family: | Boraginaceae |
Genus: | Heliotropium |
Species: | H. arboreum
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Binomial name | |
Heliotropium arboreum (Blanco) Mabb.
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Synonyms | |
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Heliotropium arboreum is a species of flowering plant in the borage family, Boraginaceae. It is native to tropical Asia including southern China, Madagascar, northern Australia, and most of the atolls and high islands of Micronesia and Polynesia. Common names include velvetleaf soldierbush,[2] tree heliotrope, veloutier, and octopus bush. It is a shrub or small tree typical of littoral zones reaching a height of 3.6 m (12 ft), with a spread of about 5 m (16 ft).[citation needed]
Taxonomy
Originally published as Tournefortia argentea, it was transferred to Argusia argentea, and remained under that name until recently. It was subsequently restored to the genus Tournefortia before being transferred into the genus Heliotropium under a new name in 2003.[3][4]
Botanical Description
The Tree Heliotrope is a small to medium sized growing tree that typically reaches heights of 3.7 metres (12 ft). The leaves of this tree are light green in color, silvery in sheen, and silky in texture. The tree produces small fruits and flowers during its bloom, (May through November). The flowers are tiny, only reaching 0.61 centimetres (0.24 in) in diameter, white, and do not begin to appear until the tree has reached a few years of age. The fruits it produces are small, opaque and fleshy. The bark is light gray/brown and is corrugated.
Uses
Wood
The wood of H. arboreum is commonly used to make handicrafts, tools, and, in Polynesia, frames for swim goggles. Due to its availability, H. arboreum is used as firewood, and has become rare in some areas as a result.[5]
Leaves
In the Marshall Islands, corpses are washed in water soaked with the leaves of the tree heliotrope to mask smells. The leaves are used as a spice on some islands, and can also be eaten raw as a salad. In Kiribati, oil from the leaves is used to make deodorant.[6]
Medicinal
Octopus bush is used in many Pacific islands as a traditional medicine to treat
Coastal Protection
The preferred growing conditions of ''H. Arboreum'' are in the littoral zone. It thrives in sandy barren soil with high drainage. It is capable of withstanding sea spray, and can grow in heavy winds. The tree is also a drought resistant variety, allowing it to survive the subtropical dry season of the South Pacific. These factors, plus the roots of "H. Arboreum" taking hold in the sand, help stabilize the shore, mitigating coastal erosion.[5][6]
References
- . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Tournefortia argentea". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
- .
- ^ "Heliotropium foertherianum Diane & Hilger". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
- ^ a b Manner, Harley I. “Tournefortia Argentea (Tree Heliotrope).” Species Profile for Pacific Island Agroforestry, Apr. 2006
- ^ a b Montoya, John Edward, and Richard Criley. “Expanding Tree Diversity in Hawai'i's Landscapes: Beach Heliotrope, Tournefortia Argentea.” University of Hawai'i, Mar. 2014.
- PMID 22706150.
External links
- Data related to Heliotropium arboreum at Wikispecies
- Plants of Midway Atoll