BORAGINACEAE

BORAGE FAMILY

Annual, perennial herb, shrubs, generally bristly or sharply hairy
Stem prostrate to erect
Leaves cauline, often with basal rosette, generally simple, alternate; lower sometimes opposite, entire
Inflorescence: cyme, generally elongate, panicle-, raceme- or spike-like, coiled in flower, generally uncoiled in fruit or flowers 1–2 per axil
Flowers generally bisexual, generally radial; sepals 5, free or fused in lower half; corolla 5-lobed, generally salverform, top of tube generally appendaged, appendages 5, alternating with stamens, sometimes arching over tube; stamens 5, epipetalous; ovary superior, generally 4-lobed, style generally entire
Fruit: nutlets 1–4, smooth to variously roughened, sometimes prickly or bristled
Genera in family: ± 100 genera, ± 2000 species: tropical, temp, especially w North America, Medit; some cultivated (Borago, Echium, Myosotis, Symphytum ). Almost all genera may be TOXIC from alkaloids or accumulated nitrates
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Hydrophyllaceae [Olmsted et al. 2000 Mol Phylog Evol 16:96–112]
Family description, key to genera by Timothy C. Messick.

ANCHUSA

ALKANET, BUGLOSS

Dieter H. Wilken

Annual, perennial herb; hairs bristly to strigose, bases sometimes bulbous
Stem ± erect
Leaves basal and cauline, petioled to clasping; blades oblong to oblanceolate
Inflorescence axillary or terminal, generally spike-like; tip coiled in flower
Flower: corolla generally salverform, white to red or blue, throat appendages 5, ovate to oblong, ± puberulent; stamens included to exserted
Fruit: nutlets 1–4, erect, ± ovoid, irregularly angled or wrinkled, scar basal or oblique, rim of scar thickened, ring-like
Species in genus: ± 35 species: Eurasia, Africa. Orn, cultivated for drugs, dyes
Etymology: (Greek: ancient name for alkanet)
Reference: [Greuter 1965 Candollea 20:192–210]