The New Student's Reference Work/Heliotrope (Heliotropium)

Heliotrope the common name of species of the genus Heliotropium, which contains about 115 species widely distributed in warm regions, nearly 15 of which occur in North America. They are recognized by their spreading and one-sided clusters of flowers, which in the cultivated forms have a characteristic fragrance. The forms of cultivation are probably all derived from two species, the leading one being H. Peruvianum, native to Peru. The other species is H. corymbosum, also from Peru. The original color of both of these species is violet, but the colors of cultivation are various shades of purple to white.