Heliotropium arboreum

Heliotropium arboreum
In the Hawaiian Islands
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Boraginales
Family: Boraginaceae
Genus: Heliotropium
Species:
H. arboreum
Binomial name
Heliotropium arboreum
(Blanco) Mabb.
Synonyms
  • Argusia argentea (L.f.) Heine
  • Heliotropium foertherianum Diane & Hilger
  • Messerschmidia argentea (L.f.) I.M.Johnst.
  • Tournefortia arborea Blanco
  • Tournefortia argentea L.f.

Heliotropium arboreum is a species of flowering plant in the borage family, Boraginaceae. It is native to tropical Asia including southern China, Madagascar, northern Australia, and most of the atolls and high islands of Micronesia and Polynesia. Common names include velvetleaf soldierbush, tree heliotrope, veloutier, and octopus bush. It is a shrub or small tree typical of littoral zones reaching a height of 3.6 m (12 ft), with a spread of about 5 m (16 ft).