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Heliotropium europaeum

Table of Contents

Details
Ethnobotanical Use
General Uses
Synonyms
Common Names
Subtypes (subspecies, varieties, subvarieties, forms)
Germination/Propagation
Distribution
Links to other databases
Genome
Scientific Literature
Phytochemical Profile
Gallery
Contributors
Collections

Details Top

Internal ID UUID644020053db8f417910777
Scientific name Heliotropium europaeum
Authority L.
First published in Sp. Pl. : 130 (1753)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Common products:
- Fresh flowers of Heliotropium europaeum are processed to obtain an essential oil (by steam distillation) and a concrete/absolute (by solvent extraction). These are supplied as fragrance raw materials.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
- The essential oil and absolute are incorporated into perfumes, soaps, detergents, and other cosmetic formulations to impart a characteristic sweet, floral scent reminiscent of cherry blossom and almond.

Properties relevant to use:
- The fragrance profile is attributed to a mixture of volatile constituents, including 2‑phenylethanol, benzyl acetate, linalool, eugenol, and minor sesquiterpenes, identified by gas‑chromatographic analysis. The oil is a pale‑yellow liquid with a specific gravity in the range of typical floral essential oils (≈0.95–0.98 at 20 °C), and the absolute retains higher‑boiling aromatic compounds that enhance stability in fragrance bases.

Standards and regulation:
- The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) has established standards for heliotrope absolute that include limits on pyrrolizidine alkaloid content. The European Union Cosmetics Regulation (EC No 1223/2009) requires safety assessments of fragrance raw materials, imposing maximum allowable levels of such alkaloids in finished cosmetic products.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Most commercial supply comes from wild‑harvested populations in Mediterranean and neighboring regions, because large‑scale cultivation is limited by the plant’s pyrrolizidine alkaloid content and moderate oil yield. Sustainable harvesting protocols and the development of cultivated varieties with reduced alkaloid levels are being pursued to ensure consistent quality, meet regulatory requirements, and minimize environmental impact.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Heliotropium majus Garsault Fig. Pl. Med. 3: t. 299. 1764, nom. inval., opus utique oppressum; Descr. Pl. Anim. 188. 1767; Thell. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. Ser. II. viii. 791.

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English european heliotrope
Arabic شجرة اليمام
Arabic حشيشة العقرب
Arabic العقربانة
Arabic التنوم
Arabic رقيب الشمس الأوروبي
Bulgarian обикновена подсунка
Catalan heliotropi
Catalan herba berruguera
Catalan herba d'eruga
Catalan herba passerella
Catalan passerella
Catalan cua d'escorpí
Czech otočník evropský
German europäische sonnenwende
Persian آفتابپرست اروپایی
Finnish rikkaheliotrooppi
French héliotrope d'europe
French heliotrope d'europe
Hebrew עוקץ-עקרב אירופי
Upper Sorbian europska wobrotnička
Italian erba porraia
Macedonian европска бубаќарка
Norwegian Bokmål ugrasheliotrop
Punjab ہاتھی سنڈ
Romanian vanilie sălbatică
Russian гелиотроп европейский
Swedish ogräsheliotrop
Vietnamese vòi voi châu Âu
Chinese 天芥菜

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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No forms added yet.

Germination/Propagation Top

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No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Africa
    • Macaronesia
      • Azores
      • Canary Islands
      • Madeira
    • Northeast Tropical Africa
      • Eritrea
      • Ethiopia
    • Northern Africa
      • Algeria
      • Egypt
      • Libya
      • Morocco
      • Tunisia
    • Southern Africa
      • Cape Provinces
  • Asia-temperate
    • Arabian Peninsula
      • Gulf States
      • Oman
      • Yemen
    • Caucasus
      • North Caucasus
      • Transcaucasus
    • China
      • China North-central
      • Xinjiang
    • Middle Asia
      • Kazakhstan
    • Western Asia
      • Afghanistan
      • Cyprus
      • East Aegean Islands
      • Iraq
      • Lebanon-Syria
      • Palestine
      • Turkey
  • Australasia
    • Australia
      • New South Wales
      • South Australia
      • Victoria
  • Europe
    • Eastern Europe
      • Krym
      • South European Russia
      • Ukraine
    • Middle Europe
      • Austria
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Germany
      • Hungary
      • Switzerland
    • Southeastern Europe
      • Albania
      • Bulgaria
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Kriti
      • Romania
      • Sicilia
      • Turkey-in-Europe
      • Yugoslavia
    • Southwestern Europe
      • Baleares
      • Corse
      • France
      • Portugal
      • Sardegna
      • Spain
  • Northern America
    • North-central U.S.A.
      • Illinois
    • Northeastern U.S.A.
      • Massachusetts
      • New Jersey
      • New York
      • Ohio
      • Pennsylvania
      • West Virginia
    • South-central U.S.A.
      • Texas
    • Southeastern U.S.A.
      • Alabama
      • Arkansas
      • Delaware
      • District Of Columbia
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Maryland
      • Mississippi
      • North Carolina
      • South Carolina
      • Virginia
    • Southwestern U.S.A.
      • California

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000718566
Florida Plant Atlas 1859
Flora of Alabama 1176
USDA Plants HEEU
Tropicos 4000967
INPN 101144
Flora of Italy 4245
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:116833-1
The Plant List kew-2844004
Open Tree Of Life 527813
NCBI Taxonomy 168345
NBN Atlas NBNSYS0200002311
Nature Serve 2.159316
IPNI 116833-1
iNaturalist 77365
GBIF 2925767
Freebase /m/03ymwmv
EPPO HEOEU
EOL 580409
Calflora (Californian flora) 4061
USDA GRIN 18823
Wikipedia Heliotropium_europaeum

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Insect floral visitors of thermo-Mediterranean shrubland maquis (Ajaccio, Corsica, France) Maestracci PY, Plume L, Gibernau M Biodivers Data J 25-Apr-2024
PMCID:PMC11079593
doi:10.3897/BDJ.12.e118614
PMID:38726024
The sustainable use of diverse plants accustomed by different ethnic groups in Sibi District, Balochistan, Pakistan Maria B, Saeed S, Ahmed A, Ahmed M, Rehman A PLoS One 21-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10880983
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0294989
PMID:38381718
Effects of dietary exposure to plant toxins on bioaccumulation, survival, and growth of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae and lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus) Mulder PP, Mueller-Maatsch JT, Meijer N, Bosch M, Zoet L, Van Der Fels-Klerx HJ Heliyon 16-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10884485
doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26523
PMID:38404897
Exploring the benefits of wild plants in dietary nutrition: investigating perspectives, choices, health impacts and sustainable practices Anwar T, Qureshi H, Shahzadi S, Siddiqi EH, Ali HM, Abdelhamid MM, Nazim M BMC Complement Med Ther 14-Feb-2024
PMCID:PMC10865668
doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04379-4
PMID:38355544
Update of the Xylella spp. host plant database – systematic literature search up to 30 June 2023 Gibin D, Gutierrez Linares A, Fasanelli E, Pasinato L, Delbianco A EFSA J 15-Dec-2023
PMCID:PMC10722330
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8477
PMID:38107375
Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids—Pros and Cons for Pharmaceutical and Medical Applications Jayawickreme K, Świstak D, Ozimek E, Reszczyńska E, Rysiak A, Makuch-Kocka A, Hanaka A Int J Mol Sci 30-Nov-2023
PMCID:PMC10706944
doi:10.3390/ijms242316972
PMID:38069294
Commodity risk assessment of Malus domestica plants from Bosnia and Herzegovina Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Civera AV, Zappalà L, Lucchi A, Gómez P, Urek G, Bernardo U, Bubici G, Carluccio AV, Chiumenti M, Di Serio F, Fanelli E, Marzachì C, Kaczmarek A, Yuen J EFSA J 26-Oct-2023
PMCID:PMC10600653
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8315
PMID:37901690
Exploration of the Wild Edible Plants Used for Basic Health Care by Local People of Bahawalpur and Adjacent Regions, Pakistan Anwar T, Qureshi H, Naeem H, Shahzadi S, Sehar Z, Hassan R Foods 25-Sep-2023
PMCID:PMC10573077
doi:10.3390/foods12193557
PMID:37835210
Evaluation of Anticancer Activity of 76 Plant Species Collected in Andalusia (Spain) against Lung Cancer Cells Jiménez-González V, Benítez G, Pastor JE, López-Lázaro M, Calderón-Montaño JM Plants (Basel) 15-Sep-2023
PMCID:PMC10536323
doi:10.3390/plants12183275
PMID:37765439
Rindera graeca (A. DC.) Boiss. & Heldr. (Boraginaceae) In Vitro Cultures Targeting Lithospermic Acid B and Rosmarinic Acid Production Sykłowska-Baranek K, Gaweł M, Kuźma Ł, Wileńska B, Kawka M, Jeziorek M, Graikou K, Chinou I, Szyszko E, Stępień P, Zakrzewski P, Pietrosiuk A Molecules 20-Jun-2023
PMCID:PMC10303423
doi:10.3390/molecules28124880
PMID:37375435
Commodity risk assessment of Malus sylvestris plants from United Kingdom Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Civera AV, Zappalà L, Lucchi A, Gómez P, Urek G, Bernardo U, Bubici G, Carluccio AV, Chiumenti M, Di Serio F, Fanelli E, Marzachì C, Kaczmarek A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Yuen J EFSA J 19-Jun-2023
PMCID:PMC10277910
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8076
PMID:37342543
Update of the Xylella spp. host plant database – systematic literature search up to 31 December 2022 Gibin D, Pasinato L, Delbianco A EFSA J 13-Jun-2023
PMCID:PMC10262070
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8061
PMID:37325259
Commodity risk assessment of Prunus persica and P. dulcis plants from Türkiye Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Civera AV, Zappalà L, Lucchi A, Gómez P, Urek G, Bernardo U, Bubici G, Carluccio AV, Chiumenti M, Di Serio F, Fanelli E, Kaczmarek A, Marzachì C, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Yuen J EFSA J 19-Jan-2023
PMCID:PMC9850261
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7735
PMID:36698493
Update of the Xylella spp. host plant database – systematic literature search up to 30 June 2022 Delbianco A, Gibin D, Pasinato L, Boscia D, Morelli M EFSA J 09-Jan-2023
PMCID:PMC9827234
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7726
PMID:36628332
Biochemical Analyses of Bioactive Extracts from Plants Native to Lampedusa, Sicily Minor Island Di Lecce R, Mérindol N, Pérez MG, Karimzadegan V, Berthoux L, Boari A, Zidorn C, Vurro M, Surico G, Desgagné-Penix I, Evidente A Plants (Basel) 09-Dec-2022
PMCID:PMC9788634
doi:10.3390/plants11243447
PMID:36559555

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Alkaloids and derivatives
(+)-Heliotrine 906426 Click to see 313.39 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277
(2R)-2-Hydroxy-2-[(R)-1-methoxyethyl]-3-methylbutanoic acid [(7aS)-2,3,5,7a-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolizin-7-yl]methyl ester 10259 Click to see CC(C)C(C(C)OC)(C(=O)OCC1=CCN2C1CCC2)O 297.39 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277
[(7S,8R)-7-[(Z)-2-methylbut-2-enoyl]oxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-3H-pyrrolizin-1-yl]methyl (2S)-2,3-dihydroxy-2-[(1R)-1-methoxyethyl]-3-methylbutanoate 5284405 Click to see CC=C(C)C(=O)OC1CCN2C1C(=CC2)COC(=O)C(C(C)OC)(C(C)(C)O)O 411.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277
[(7S,8R)-7-hydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-3H-pyrrolizin-1-yl]methyl (2S)-2,3-dihydroxy-2-[(1R)-1-methoxyethyl]-3-methylbutanoate 101967140 Click to see 329.39 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277
5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-3H-pyrrolizin-1-ylmethyl 2-hydroxy-2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylbutanoate 259729 Click to see 283.36 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277
7-({[2,3-Dihydroxy-2-(1-methoxyethyl)-3-methylbutanoyl]oxy}methyl)-2,3,5,7a-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolizin-1-yl 2-methylbut-2-enoate 613201 Click to see 411.50 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277
CID 98222 98222 Click to see 329.39 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277
Heleurine 12310403 Click to see 297.39 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277
Heliotron 9341 Click to see 313.39 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277
Supinine 108053 Click to see CC(C)C(C(C)O)(C(=O)OCC1=CCN2C1CCC2)O 283.36 unknown https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9540277

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Collections Top

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