Echium plantagineum

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Boraginales

Familia: Boraginaceae
Subfamilia: Boraginoideae
Tribus: Lithospermeae
Genus: Echium
Sectio: E. sect. Echium
Species: Echium plantagineum
Name

Echium plantagineum L., Mant. Pl. Altera: 202 (1771).

Lectotypus: "Lycopsis lato Plantaginis folio Italica" in Barrelier, Pl. Galliam, 16, t. 1026, 1714 (designated by: Gibbs, Lagascalia 1: 58 (1971))

Synonyms

Homotypic
Echium creticum subsp. plantagineum (L.) Malag., Acta Phytotax. Barcinon. 18: 9 (1976 publ. 1977).
Heterotypic
Echium creticum Lam., Tabl. Encyc. 1: 412 (1791), nom. illeg. non L.
Echium lusitanicum Mill., Gard. Dict. ed. VIII. n. 4 (1768) nom. illeg. non L.
Echium murale Hill, Brit. Herb.: 388 (1756), nom. inval..
Echium plantagineum var. grandiflorum Colmeiro, in sched.
Echium plantagineum var. maroccanum Sennen, Diagn. Pl. Nouv. Esp. Maroc 109 (1951).
Echium alonsoi Sennen & Mauricio in É.M.G.Sennen, Diagn. Nouv.: 237 (1936).
Echium bonariense Poir. in J.B.A.M.de Lamarck, Encycl. 8: 674 (1808).
Echium diffusum Jan ex Nyman, Consp. Fl. Eur.: 515 (1881), nom. illeg..
Echium longistamineum Pourr. ex Lapeyr., Hist. Pl. Pyrénées, Suppl.: 29 (1818).
Echium maritimum Willd., Sp. Pl., ed. 4, 1: 788 (1798).
Echium orientale Stephan, Enum. Stirp. Agr. Mosq.: 124 (1792), nom. illeg..
Echium plantagineum var. album Mattos, Loefgrenia 85: 2 (1984).
Echium plantagineum var. monodasystemon Beauverd & Felipp., Bull. Soc. Bot. Genève, sér. 2, 13: 7 (1921).
Echium plantaginifolium L. ex Moris, Att. Riunione Sci. Ital. 8: 564 (1847).
Echium plantaginoides Roem. & Schult., Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 4: 19 (1819).
Echium pseudoviolaceum Schur, Enum. Pl. Transsilv.: 470 (1866).
Echium sennenii Pau, Mem. Real Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat. 12: 363 (1924).
Echium plantagineum var. sennenii (Pau) Sauvage & Vindt, Fl. Maroc. 2: 176 (1954).
Misapplied names
Echium lycopsis auct. non L., Fl. Angl.: 12 (1754), nom. rej.. [= Echium asperrimum].
Lectotypus: "Echii altera species" in Dodoëns, Stirp. Hist. Pempt., ed. 2, 630, 631, 1616 (designated by: Stearn, Introd. Ray's Syn. Meth. Stirp. Brit. (Ray Soc. ed.): 65 (1973))
Echium violaceum L., Mant. Pl.: 42 (1767) [= Echium spec.].
Original material: Herb. Linn. No. 191.20 (LINN), Clusius 1601. Rar. Pl. Hist., 2: 164.

Homonyms

Echium plantagineum Kunze = Echium creticum L.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Europe
Regional: Northern Europe
Great Britain (introduced).
Regional: Middle Europe
Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany (introduced).
Regional: Southwestern Europe
Baleares (Ibiza with Formentera, Mallorca, Menorca), Corse, France, Portugal, Sardegna, Spain.
Regional: Southeastern Europe
Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Kriti, Sicilia (Sicily, Malta), Turkey-in-Europe, Yugoslavia (Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia).
Regional: Eastern Europe
Belarus (introduced), Krym, Central European Russia (introduced), South European Russia, Ukraine (introduced).
Continental: Africa
Regional: Northern Africa
Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia.
Regional: Macaronesia
Azores (Faial, Flores, Graciosa, Pico, Santa Maria, Sao Jorge, Sao Miguel, Terceira), Canary Islands (Gran Canaria, Gomera, Hierro, La Palma, Tenerife), Madeira (Desertas, Madeira, Porto Santo), Selvagens.
Regional: Northeast Tropical Africa (introduced)
Eritrea, Ethiopia.
Regional: East Tropical Africa (introduced)
Kenya, Tanzania.
Regional: South Tropical Africa (introduced)
Zimbabwe.
Regional: Southern Africa (introduced)
Cape Provinces, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Northern Provinces.
Continental: Asia-Temperate
Regional: Caucasus
North Caucasus, Transcaucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Gruziya)
Regional: Western Asia
Cyprus, East Aegean Islands, Lebanon-Syria (Lebanon, Syria), Palestine (Israel, Jordan), Turkey.
Regional: Arabian Peninsula
Saudi Arabia.
Continental: Australasia (introduced)
Regional: Australia
Norfolk Islands, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia.
Regional: New Zealand
New Zealand North, New Zealand South.
Continental: Northern America (introduced)
Regional: Western Canada
Manitoba.
Regional: Eastern Canada
Newfoundland, Ontario.
Regional: Northwestern U.S.A.
Oregon.
Regional: Northeastern U.S.A.
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania.
Regional: Southwestern U.S.A.
California.
Continental: Southern America (introduced)
Regional: Brazil
Brazil South.
Regional: Southern South America
Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Argentina South, Chile Central, Chile South, Uruguay.

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Linnaeus, C. 1771. Mantissa Plantarum Altera. Generum Editionis VI et Specierum Editionis II. Holmiae [Stockholm]. pp. [6] + 143­–587, Appendix. BHL Reference page. : 202

Additional references

Jarvis, C.E. 2007. Order out of Chaos: Linnaean Plant Names and their Types. London: Linnean Society of London in association with the Natural History Museum, ISBN 978-0-9506207-7-0, p. 491. Reference page.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Echium plantagineum in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2020 Aug 23. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2020. Echium plantagineum. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2020. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2020 Aug 23. Reference page.
Euro+Med 2006 onwards: Echium plantagineum in Euro+Med PlantBase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published online. Accessed: 2020 Oct 4.
International Plant Names Index. 2020. Echium plantagineum. Published online. Accessed: Aug 23 2020. Reference page.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Echium plantagineum in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 07-Oct-06.

Vernacular names
العربية: زهرة الأفعى الحملية
български: Живовлеково усойниче
Cymraeg: Gwiberlys porffor
Deutsch: Wegerichblättriger Natternkopf
English: Purple Viper's-bugloss
español: Viborera
suomi: Ratamoneidonkieli
français: Vipérine à feuilles de plantain
hornjoserbsce: Putnikołopjenata hrimanka
italiano: Viperina piantaginea
日本語: シャゼンムラサキ
Nederlands: Weegbreeslangenkruid
русский: Синяк подорожниковый
svenska: Blå snokört
українська: Синяк подорожниковий
中文: 车前叶蓝蓟

Echium plantagineum, commonly known as purple viper's-bugloss,[1] Paterson's curse or Salvation Jane, is a species of the genus Echium native to western and southern Europe (from southern England south to Iberia and east to the Crimea), northern Africa, and southwestern Asia (east to Georgia).[2][3] It has also been introduced to Australia, South Africa, and United States, where it is an invasive weed. Due to a high concentration of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, it is poisonous to grazing livestock, especially those with simple digestive systems, such as horses.
Description

Echium plantagineum is a winter annual plant growing to 20–60 cm tall, with rough, hairy, lanceolate leaves up to 14 cm long. The flowers are purple, 15–20 mm long, with all the stamens protruding, and borne on a branched spike.[4][5]
Taxonomy

The Latin genus name comes from the Greek word ekhis, which means viper (a type of snake), possibly due to the seeds resembling a viper's head or the forking at the end of the thin flower style resembles a viper's tongue. The plant's roots, when eaten with wine, are claimed to provide a folk cure for a snakebite.[6] The Latin specific epithet plantagineum refers to the leaves of the plant, which are similar to those of a plantain.[6]
Invasive species
In Adelaide, South Australia
See also: Echium plantagineum in Australia

E. plantagineum has become an invasive species in Australia, where it is also known as Salvation Jane (particularly in South Australia),[6] blueweed, Lady Campbell weed, Paterson's curse and Riverina bluebell.[7]

In the United States, the species has become naturalised in parts of California, Oregon, and some eastern states and areas such as northern Michigan.[8] In Oregon, it has been declared a noxious weed.[9]
Toxicity

E. plantagineum contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so is poisonous to nonruminants.[10][11] When eaten in large quantities, it causes reduced livestock weight, and death in severe cases, due to liver damage.[7] Paterson's curse can also kill horses,[12] and irritate the udders of dairy cows and the skin of humans. After the 2003 Canberra bushfires, a large bloom of the plant occurred on the burned land, and many horses became ill and died from grazing on it.[13] Because the alkaloids can also be found in the nectar of Paterson's curse, the honey made from it should be blended with other honeys to dilute the toxins.
References

BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
Echium plantagineum. Flora Europaea.
"Echium plantagineum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
Blamey, M. & C. Grey-Wilson. Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. 1989. ISBN 0-340-40170-2
Piggin, C. M. & A. W. Sheppard. (1995). Echium plantagineum L. In: Groves, R. H., R. C. H. Shepherd, and R. G. Richardson, (eds.) The Biology of Australian Weeds Vol 1. R. G. and F. J. Richardson, Melbourne. pp 87-110.
W. T. Parsons, William Thomas Parsons and E. G. Cuthbertson Noxious Weeds of Australia, p. 325, at Google Books
Lewis Kahn and David Cottle (editors) Beef Cattle Production and Trade, p. 272, at Google Books
"Paterson's Curse Echium plantagineum in the Pacific Northwest" (PDF). Oregon State University. October 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
"Paterson's Curse". Oregon Department of Agriculture. 12 February 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
The MERCK Veterinary Manual, Table 5 Archived 2010-11-17 at the Wayback Machine
D. Jesse Wagstaff International Poisonous Plants Checklist: An Evidence-Based Reference, p. 141, at Google Books
Patersons Curse and Horse Health
Paterson's curse poisoning in horses. Archived 27 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine Animal Health Surveillance Quarterly Report 8(4) Oct-Dec 2003.