Blue Heliotrope

Description:

Heliotropium amplexicaule, also commonly known as "clasping heliotrope", "creeping heliotrope", "summer heliotrope"... to name but a few, is a flowering herbaceous plant in the family Boraginaceae. Native to South America, particularly Argentina, it is known on several other continents where it is an introduced species, and in Australia, is a noxious weed. It's also a poisonous species and is toxic to animals - livestock, cats, dogs, etc. Branched stems radiate out from a central taproot and generally grow to about 15-30 cms tall. The flowers are purple, lilac, blue or pinkish in colour and have a distinctive yellowish throat. Pretty, but nasty!

Habitat:

Spotted at Purga Nature Reserve, Ipswich SEQ. Surrounding area cleared farmland, this region is freshening up with rain after a prolonged drought. This is usually a wetland area that is periodically waterlogged during wet periods. https://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/__data/as... According to Ipswich Council, this small reserve constitutes "the largest protected area of endangered Swamp Tea-tree forest in the world."

Notes:

My initially thought was that this spotting was Verbena rigida, (commonly known as veined verbena, slender vervain or tuberous vervain), a flowering herbaceous perennial plant in the family Verbenaceae. Looks very similar to Heliotropium amplexicaule, but difficult to find enough local information to support it. This would be my second ID choice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbena_ri... http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bi...