Common Name: BORAGE or WATERLEAF FAMILY
Habit: Annual to shrub or small tree, or non-green root parasite, often bristly or sharp-hairy. Stem: prostrate to erect. Leaf: basal and/or cauline, generally simple, generally alternate. Inflorescence: generally cymes, or panicle-, raceme-, head-, or spike-like, generally coiled in flower (often described as scorpioid), generally elongating in fruit, or flowers 1--2 per axil. Flower: bisexual, generally radial; sepals (4)5(10), fused at least at base, or free; corolla (4)5(10)-lobed, salverform, funnel-shaped, rotate, or bell-shaped, generally without scales at tube base, with 0 or 5 appendages at tube top, alternate stamens; stamens epipetalous; ovary generally superior, entire to 4-lobed, style 1(2), entire or 2-lobed or -branched. Fruit: valvate or circumscissile capsule or nutlets 1--4, free (fused), smooth to roughened, prickly or bristly or not.
Genera In Family: +- 120 genera, +- 2300 species: tropics, temperate, especially western North America, Mediterranean; some cultivated (Borago, Heliotropium, Echium, Myosotis, Nemophila, Phacelia, Symphytum, Wigandia). Toxicity: Many genera may be TOXIC from pyrrolizidine alkaloids or accumulated nitrates. Note: Recently treated to include Hydrophyllaceae, Lennoaceae. Wigandia urens added, as naturalized.
eFlora Treatment Author: Ronald B. Kelley, Robert Patterson, Richard R. Halse & Timothy C. Messick, family description, key to genera, treatment of genera by Ronald B. Kelley, except as noted
Scientific Editor: Ronald B. Kelley, Robert Patterson, Thomas J. Rosatti, Bruce G. Baldwin, David J. Keil.

Common Name: YERBA SANTA
Habit: Perennial herb to shrub. Stem: prostrate to ascending or erect; bark shredding. Leaf: cauline, alternate. Inflorescence: generally open, terminal. Flower: corolla funnel- to urn-shaped, white, lavender, or purple, generally hairy abaxially; stamens included, filaments generally hairy; ovary chambers 2, styles 2, generally hairy. Fruit: 1--3 mm wide; valves 4. Seed: striate, dark brown or black.
Species In Genus: 11 species: southwestern United States, Mexico. Etymology: (Greek: erio, wool, plus dictyon, net, from abaxial leaves)
eFlora Treatment Author: Gary L. Hannan
Reference: Ferguson 1998 Syst Bot 23:253--268
Unabridged Reference: Hannan 1988 Amer J Bot 75:579--588