7052.000 Heliotropium L.

Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes subshrubby. leaves alternate, rarely subopposite. Cymes spike-like, usually scorpioid, terminal or pseudoaxillary, simple or branched; rarely flowers solitary, supra-axillary. Flowers bisexual, 5-merous. Corolla salver-shaped or funnel-shaped, white, yellow or blue. Stamens included. Ovary 4-celled, entire or subentire. Style terminal. Fruit dry, usually splitting at maturity into four 1-seeded nutlets, free or cohering in pairs or remaining entire and 1-seeded by abortion.

Derivation of name: turning with the sun, heliotropic

Worldwide: c. 250 species, tropical and temperate areas

Caprivi: 3 taxa.