Heliotropium indicum L.

Code

HEOIN

Growth form

Broadleaf

Biological cycle

Annual

Habitat

terrestrial

China: Heliotropium indicum flowers and fruits from April to October.
Madagascar: Heliotropium indicum can flower all year round.
Mayotte: Heliotropium indicum flowers from July to January and fruits from August to February.
Nicaragua: Heliotropium indicum flowers and fruits all year round.

Heliotropium indicum is found in sunny areas, periodically moist, or marshy then desiccating sites; waste places, borders of ditch, dried-up pools and ditches, on spread mud, along roads, often very common. In Java from 0-800 m altitude, especially above 400 m. Flowering season is extended when the first-formed matured seeds are released, and while there are still unopened buds.

Central Africa: Heliotropium indicum is an exotic species that thrives in primitive forests that are periodically flooded or riparian, forest galleries, tree savannahs, wet grasslands, marshes, grassy fallows, riverbanks, exposed banks, roadsides, plantations, villages and damp places.
South Africa: Species of sandy or muddy banks, riverbanks, flood plains, on the banks of rivers and lagoons, in flood plains, old gardens near rivers and pastures, always near water; up to 1100 m altitude.
West Indies: Heliotropium indicum is a nitrophilous species, a ruderal and weed of crops, on cool, damp or even hydromorphic soils, from 0 to 700 m altitude.
Brazil: Heliotropium indicum thrives on rich, moist soils. It even tolerates temporary flooding or short periods of drought.
China: Heliotropium indicum is widely distributed. It grows on hillsides, riverbanks and open wasteland, at altitudes of between 0 and 700 m.
Madagascar: Heliotropium indicum grows on alluvial soils, ferralitic and ferruginous humus with temporary hydromorphic soil, rich, in sunny field. It grows along the roads and cultures, along the canals and dykes. It is a weed of seasonal and off-season crops, up to 1000 m altitude, in cropping systems of cotton, pluvial rice or maize, vegetable crops, semi-intensive with little or without fertilizer input. It is present in all agro-ecological zones of Madagascar, up to 1000 m altitude.
Mayotte: H. indicum is naturalized in degraded wetlands, including stream banks, ditches, pastures, crops, urban areas and compacted coastal sands.
Panama: H. indicum is a roadside weed that is widespread throughout the country.
Thailand: H. indicum grows on sunny, periodically wet or marshy sites which then dry out; deserted areas, ditch banks, dry ditches or puddles, in spread mud, along roadsides, often very common.

Toxicity

Heliotropium indicum contains toxic substances that limit its use.

Global harmfulness

Weed of minor importance.
 
Local harmfulness

Brazil: Heliotropium indicum is an invasive weed in pastures, particularly in wet lowlands. It is also a common species along roadsides and in abandoned areas.
Madagascar: Heliotropium indicum is a weed of relatively low frequency but locally abundant. It can be relatively abundant in crops grown on rich soils of the Northwest or the East Coast (vegetables, upland rice).
Malaysia: It is a common weed throughout Malaysia.

Medicinal: An infusion of the leaves and young shoots of Heliotropium indicum is used to treat rashes caused by nettles. An infusion of the flowers taken in small doses regulates menstruation, high dose is abortive. A leaf decoction is worming. The juice of leaves is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, it is applied on the wounds, sores, burns, boils and facial buttons. Boiled with castor oil, it is applied on the scorpion stings. It is also used locally in case of anophtolmia when the cornea is inflamed or excoriated. In Madagascar it is used as medicines such as anti-inflammatory, etc.
Ornamental: Heliotropium indicum is frequently used as an ornamental plant in gardens.

 

Global control

Cultural practices: Heliotropium indicum is easily curbed manually by hoeing or cultivation.
 
Chemical control: H. indicum is not very sensitive to 2,4-D and MCPA, but these products are effective when applied early stage of lifting.
 
For weeding Advice broadleaf annual weeds of irrigated rice and lowland in Africa, visit:http://portal.wiktrop.org/document/show/20

Local control
 
Madagascar: The manual control of H. indicum can be done by pulling or hoeing. Chemically, it is controlled to 2,4-D (and oxyfluorfen, not available in Madagascar).

Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Heliotropium%2520indicum