The Endemic Plants of Chile

Place of Publication

Fl. Chil. [Gay] 4(4): 458 (1849)

Type citation

Chile, prov. Coquimbo, 1939, Gay s.n. (lectotype: G-DC selected by Miers (1868, 132): possible isolectotypes: BM, F 515900, G, GH, K, LE.)

Synonyms

• Cochranea chenopodiacea (A. DC.) Miers
• Cochranea ericoidea Miers
• Cochranea pearcei (Phil.) Phil.
• Cochranea sclerocarpa (Phil.) Phil.
• Cochranea sentis Phil
• Eritrichium glabratum Phil.
• Heliophytum chenopodiaceum A.DC.
• Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos var.  ericoideum
• Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos var.  sclerocarpum
• Heliotropium pearcei Phil.
• Heliotropium sclerocarpum Phil.

References

• Gay (1849f)

  Gay, C. 1849. Historia física y política de Chile: Botánica, vol. 4(4):385-516. Paris & Chile (Museo Historia Natural de Santiago)

• Miers (1868a)

  Miers, J. 1868. Observations on some of the Heliotropieae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, ser. 4 2(8)

• Luebert (2013)

  Luebert, F. 2013. A revision of Heliotropium sect. Cochranea (Heliotropiaceae). Kew Bulletin 68(1): 1-54.

Regions

Antofagasta, Atacama and Coquimbo

Habitat

Desert and Desert fog oases (Lomas)

Distribution and habitat

Extensive geographical distribution mainly on inland mountains and Andean foothills. Dry desert sites from 200–2250 meters above sea level in open dwarf scrub where it can be the dominant species.

Distribution

• Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
• • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
  • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
    • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
      • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
        • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
          • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
            • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
              • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
                • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
                  • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
                    • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
                      • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
                        • • Heliotropium chenopodiaceum (A. DC.) Clos
                          Show all locations

Conservation status

• Least Concern (Luebert (2013))

Descriptions

• Luebert (2013)

Habit

Erect shrub 20–80 cm tall. Flowering mainly from September to November

Key characteristics

It could be confused with H. myosotifolium which tends to have larger leaves and flowers but in rainy seasons this may not be the case. The most consistent difference is the calyx lobes which are joined to half of their length in H. chenopodiaceum whereas they are totally free in H. myosotifolium.

Notes

Seed of this species is banked by the national seed bank of Chile, INIA.