Heliotropium curassavicum, commonly called
salt heliotrope, is a species of flowering plant in the family Heliotropiaceae. It is native to the Americas and Northern Australia ( has been introduced elsewhere.
Heliotropium curassavicum is a perennial herb which can take the form of a prostrate creeper along the ground to a somewhat erect shrub approaching in height. The stem and foliage are fleshy, with the leaves thick and oval or spade-shaped.
The plentiful inflorescences are curled, coiling double rows of small bell-shaped flowers. Each flower is white with five rounded lobes and a purple or yellow throat. The fruit is a smooth nutlet.
Taxonomy: There are five currently recognized varieties. These are:
- H. curassavicum var. argentinum - Native to the tropics of South America, including Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
- H. curassavicum var. curassavicum - Globally widespread, native from the eastern U.S. to Argentina, and naturalized on seashores elsewhere. It has the smallest flowers, being only 2.5–3.5 mm wide
- H. curassavicum var. fruticulosum - Endemic to the San Juan and Mendoza provinces of Argentina.
- H. curassavicum var. obovatum - Widespread in western North America and Chihuahua, Mexico. Its flowers are 5–10 mm wide, with yellow or slightly purple-tinged throats.
- H. curassavicum var. oculatum - Native from southwestern Utah to Baja California. Its flowers are 3–5 mm wide with purple throats.
Distribution and habitat: The species is native and Northern Australia including the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland, and to much of the Americas, from Canada to Argentina, including the West Indies and Hawaii. It can be found as an introduced species (in some cases being invasive) in Africa, Eurasia, and southern Australia.
It thrives in salty soils, such as beach sand, alkali flats, and salt marshes. It is often found in disturbed coastal sites.
Common names: Due to its wide geographical range that spans many nations and languages,
H. curassavicum has been given an assortment of common names. In English, these include salt heliotrope, seaside heliotrope, monkey tail, quail plant and Chinese parsley. In Latin American Spanish, it is known as , or . It is called in Hawaii.