Hathajori / Indian Heliotrope
Heliotropium indicum
Also known as Indian Turnsole
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka & more
- Flowering
- Throughout the year
How to identify Hathajori
Identify Hathajori by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a herb habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: One-sided curled flower spike (Indian turnsole).
- Confirm leaf shape: Ovate.
- Confirm leaf surface: Pubescent.
- Confirm flower colour: Blue/violet.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: Throughout the year.
- In India, compare location records such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal and nearby regions.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Heliotropium indicum
- Genus
- Heliotropium
- Family
- Boraginaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Distribution
- Africa, Tropical Himalayas, India, Myanmar, China, Ryukyu Islands, Malaysia, America
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Mizoram, Puducherry
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf shape
- OvaterecordedEgg-shaped, broader near the base.“It has a hairy stem, bearing alternating ovate to oblong-ovate leaves.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- PubescentrecordedCovered in short, soft hairs.“It has a hairy stem, bearing alternating ovate to oblong-ovate leaves.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Hathajori itself; the rest are typical of the Boraginaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Blue/violetrecorded
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
- Fruit
- Nutlets
Characters marked “recorded” are for Hathajori itself; the rest are typical of the Boraginaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- हाथाजोड़ी Hathajori
- Bengali
- হাতিসুর Hatisura, হাতিশুঁড়, মহাশুণ্ডী
- Tamil
- தேட்கொடுக்கி Tetkotukki, தேள் கொடுக்கி
- Telugu
- నాగదంతి Naga Danti, నాగదంతి
- Kannada
- ಚೇಳುಮಣಿಗಿಡ Chelumani gida, ಚೇಳುಬಾಲದ ಗಿಡ Chelubalada Gida
- Malayalam
- തേക്കട Thekkada, Thelkada, Therkkada, തേക്കട
- Marathi
- भुरुंडी Bhurundi, भुरुंडी
About Hathajori
Indian Heliotrope (Heliotropium indicum) is a herb in the Boraginaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka and 20 other states. It flowers and fruits through much of the year.
Boraginaceae
Borage family
Hathajori belongs to the Boraginaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Boraginaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
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