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Echium angustifolium - Narrow-leaved Bugloss

Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Equisetopsida - Order: insertae sedis - Family: Boraginaceae

Echium angustifolium

Description

This wildflower is characterised by its flowers, which change from purple to deep pinkish red as they open. It is a much more sprawling plant than most other members of the Borage family and rarely exceeds 0.5m in height.

Distribution

This member of the Boraginaceae is fairly common and widespread in the Mediterranean Region.

Habitat

Echium angustifolium grows on roadsides, waste ground and coastal land, and in other rocky and stony habitats.

Blooming times

Narrow-leaved Bugloss produces flowers from March to July.

Echium angustifolium, closeup of flowers

Etymology

The genus name Echium comes from the Greek echis, meaning viper, while the specific epithet angustifolium means with narrow leaves. (The common name Bugloss means ox-tongue and comes from the Greek bous, meaning ox, and glossa, meaning tongue - a reference to the roughness of the leaves.)

The specimens shown here were found in the Algarve, Portugal, in April.


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