alkali heliotrope

Heliotropium curassavicum is a perennial herb which can take the form of a prostrate creeper along the ground to a somewhat erect shrub approaching 0.5 m (1+1⁄2 ft) in height. The stem and foliage are fleshy, with the leaves thick and oval or spade-shaped. The plentiful inflorescences are curled, coiling double rows of small bell-shaped flowers. Each flower is white with five rounded lobes and a purple or yellow throat. The fruit is a smooth nutlet.

The species is native to Northern Australia including the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland, and to much of the Americas, from Canada to Argentina, including the West Indies and Hawaii. It can be found as an introduced species (in some cases being invasive) in Africa, Eurasia, and southern Australia. It thrives in salty soils, such as beach sand, alkali flats, and salt marshes. It is often found in disturbed coastal sites.