Echium plantagineum

Common name: Paterson’s Curse

Meaning of name:

Echium is from the Greek word echion, the name used by Dioscorides for this plant. Plantagineum is named after the genus Plantago.

Distribution:

Occurs across much of southern Australia.

Description:

An erect herb to 1 metre tall. The purple flowers are produced from September to November.

Notes:

Paterson’s curse is a declared plant meaning that landholders are required by law to control this plant on their land. This species is originally from southern Europe.

References:

Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.

Western Weeds, A Guide to the Weeds of Western Australia. BMJ Hussey, GJ Keighery, J Dodd, SG Lloyd, RD Cousens. 1997.

Flora of the Perth Region. NG Marchant, JR Wheeler, BL Rye, EM Bennett, NS Lander, TD Macfarlane. 1987.

Atlas of Living Australia https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2889451

Florabase https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/6681