Boraginaceae
Symphytum

Symphytum officinale L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 136 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Europe to W. Siberia and NW. Türkiye. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome. It is used as animal food, a poison and a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.

Distribution

Native to:

Altay, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, Czechoslovakia, East European Russia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Krym, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Northwest European Russia, Poland, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, South European Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Ukraine, West Siberia, Yugoslavia

Introduced into:

Alberta, Argentina Northeast, Arkansas, Baltic States, Brazil West-Central, British Columbia, California, China North-Central, China Southeast, Chita, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Denmark, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, Finland, Georgia, Haiti, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Ireland, Kentucky, Korea, Maine, Manchuria, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Newfoundland, North Carolina, North European Russia, Norway, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Primorye, Québec, Rhode I., Saskatchewan, Sweden, Taiwan, Tasmania, Utah, Vermont, Vietnam, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Xinjiang

Accepted Infraspecifics

Classification

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Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

  • Abdulina, S.A. (1999). Spisok Sosudistykn Rastenii Kazakhstana: 1-187. Academy of Sciences, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
  • Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
  • Ackerfield, J. (2015). Flora of Colorado: 1-818. BRIT Press.
  • Allred, K.W. (2012). Flora Neomexicana, ed. 2, 1: 1-599. Range Science Herbarium, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
  • Aver'ianov, L.V. & al. (2006). Illyustrirovannyi opredelitel' rastenii Leningradskoi oblasti: 1-799. Nauka, Moskva.
  • Barkalov, V.Y. (ed.) (1991). Plantae Vasculares Orientalis Extremi Sovietici 5: 1-388. Nauka, Leningrad.
  • Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.
  • Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1978). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 6: 1-825. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
  • Dimopoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular plants of Greece. An annotated checklist: 1-372. Botanic gardens and botanical museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic botanical society, Athens.
  • Gilman, A.V. (2015). New flora of Vermont. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 110: 1-614.
  • Gorchakovskii, P.L. & al. (1994). Opredelitel' sosudistykkhrastenii srednego Urala: 1-524. Nauka, Moscow.
  • Hassler, M. & Muer, T. (2022). Flora Germanica: alle Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands in Text und Bild 2: 865-1712. Verlag Regionalkultur, Uberstadt-Weiher.
  • Jones, R.L. (2005). Plant life of Kentucky. An illustrated guide to the vascular flora: 1-833. The universitry press of Kentucky.
  • Knapp, W.M. & Naczi, R.F.C. (2021). Vascular plants of Maryland, USA. A comprehensive account of the state's botanical diversity. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 113: 1-151.
  • Kozhevnikov, A.E., Kozhevnikov, Z.V., Kwak, M. & Lee, B.Y. (2019). Illustrated flora of the Primorsky Territory, Russian Far East: 1-1124. National institute of biological resources.
  • Larson, J., Reif, B., Nelson, B.E. & Hartman, R.L. (2014). Floristic studies in North Central New Mexico, U.S.A. the Sange de Cristo mountains. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 8: 271-303.
  • Malyschev, L.I. (ed.) (2006). Flora of Siberia 11: 1-310. Scientific Publishers, Inc., Enfield, Plymouth.
  • Malyschev, L.I., Peshkova, G.A. & Baikov, K.S. (eds.) (2007). Flora of Siberia 14: 1-210. Scientific Publishers, Inc., Enfield, Plymouth.
  • Meades, S.J. & Brouillet, L. (2019). Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Newfoundland and Labrador https://newfoundland-labradorflora.ca/checklist/.
  • Mirando de Melo, J.I., Taroda Ranga, N. & Cavalheiro, L. (2013). Flora dos Estados de Goiás e Tocantins 43: 1-62. Universidade federal de Goiás.
  • Mirek, Z., Piękoś-Mirkowa, H., Zając, A. & Zając, M (2020). Vascular plants of Poland an annotated checklist: 1-526. W. Szafer institute of botany, Polish academy of sciences, Krakow, Poland.
  • Mohlenbrock, R.H. (2014). Vascular Flora of Illinois. A Field Guide, ed. 4: 1-536. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.
  • Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles ed. 4: 1-1266. C & M Floristics.
  • Tarikahya-Hacioglu, B. & Erik, S. (2013). Türkiye'de yetisen Symphytum (Boraginaceae) taksonlarinin revizyonu. Ot Sistematik Botanik Dergisi 20(1): 23-74.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1972). Flora Europaea 3: 1-370. Cambridge University Press.
  • Werier, D. (2017). Catalogue of the Vascular plants of New York state. Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club 27: 1-542.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (1995). Flora of China 16: 1-479. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).
  • Yan, X.L. & Ma, J.S. (2011). Nomenclatural notes on alien invasive vascular plants in China. Plant Diversity and Resources 33: 132-142.
  • Zuloaga, F.O. & Zanotti, C.A. (eds.) (2022). Flora Argentina. Flora vascular de la República Argentina 19(3): 1-384. INTA, IMBIV & IBODA.
  • Zuloaga, F.O., Morrone, O. , Belgrano, M.J., Marticorena, C. & Marchesi, E. (eds.) (2008). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 107: 1-3348. Missouri Botanical Garden.
  • de Salas, MF, Baker, ML (2022). A Census of the Vascular Plants of Tasmania, including Macquarie Island: 1-161. Tasmanian Herbarium, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart. https://flora.tmag.tas.gov.au/resources/census/.

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Abdulina, S.A. (1999). Spisok Sosudistykn Rastenii Kazakhstana: 1-187. Academy of Sciences, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
  • Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
  • Ackerfield, J. (2015). Flora of Colorado: 1-818. BRIT Press.
  • Aver'ianov, L.V. & al. (2006). Illyustrirovannyi opredelitel' rastenii Leningradskoi oblasti: 1-799. Nauka, Moskva.
  • Barkalov, V.Y. (ed.) (1991). Plantae Vasculares Orientalis Extremi Sovietici 5: 1-388. Nauka, Leningrad.
  • Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.
  • Gilman, A.V. (2015). New flora of Vermont. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 110: 1-614.
  • Gorchakovskii, P.L. & al. (1994). Opredelitel' sosudistykkhrastenii srednego Urala: 1-524. Nauka, Moscow.
  • Jones, R.L. (2005). Plant life of Kentucky. An illustrated guide to the vascular flora: 1-833. The universitry press of Kentucky.
  • Larson, J., Reif, B., Nelson, B.E. & Hartman, R.L. (2014). Floristic studies in North Central New Mexico, U.S.A. the Sange de Cristo mountains. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 8: 271-303.
  • Lê, T.C. (2005). Danh lục các loài thực vật Việt Nam 3: 1-1248. Hà Nội : Nhà xuất bản Nông nghiệp.
  • Malyschev, L.I. (ed.) (2006). Flora of Siberia 11: 1-310. Scientific Publishers, Inc., Enfield, Plymouth.
  • Mirando de Melo, J.I., Taroda Ranga, N. & Cavalheiro, L. (2013). Flora dos Estados de Goiás e Tocantins 43: 1-62. Universidade federal de Goiás.
  • Mohlenbrock, R.H. (2014). Vascular Flora of Illinois. A Field Guide, ed. 4: 1-536. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.
  • Tarikahya-Hacioglu, B. & Erik, S. (2013). Türkiye'de yetisen Symphytum (Boraginaceae) taksonlarinin revizyonu. Ot Sistematik Botanik Dergisi 20(1): 23-74.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1972). Flora Europaea 3: 1-370. Cambridge University Press.
  • USDA, NRCS ( 2021-continuously updated). Natural Resources Conservation Services Plant Database http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=checklist.html.
  • Werier, D. (2017). Catalogue of the Vascular plants of New York state. Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club 27: 1-542.
  • Yan, X.L. & Ma, J.S. (2011). Nomenclatural notes on alien invasive vascular plants in China. Plant Diversity and Resources 33: 132-142.
  • Zuloaga, F.O., Morrone, O. , Belgrano, M.J., Marticorena, C. & Marchesi, E. (eds.) (2008). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 107: 1-3348. Missouri Botanical Garden.
  • de Salas, MF, Baker, ML (2022). A Census of the Vascular Plants of Tasmania, including Macquarie Island: 1-161. Tasmanian Herbarium, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart. https://flora.tmag.tas.gov.au/resources/census/.

Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

  • Allen, D., Bilz, M., Leaman, D.J., Miller, R.M., Timoshyna, A., & Window, J. (2014). European Red List of medicinal plants. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg 10:907382.
  • Cámara-Leret, R., & Dennehy, Z. (2019). Information gaps in indigenous and local knowledge for science-policy assessments. Nature Sustainability 2:736-741.
  • Diazgranados et al. (2021). Catalogue of plants of Colombia. Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia project. In prep.
  • Diazgranados, M., Allkin, B., Black N., Cámara-Leret, R., Canteiro C., Carretero J., Eastwood R., Hargreaves S., Hudson A., Milliken W., Nesbitt, M., Ondo, I., Patmore, K., Pironon, S., Turner, R., Ulian, T. (2020). World Checklist of Useful Plant Species. Produced by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity.
  • FPI (2021). Food Plants International. https://fms.cmsvr.com/fmi/webd/Food_Plants_World?homeurl=https://foodplantsinternational.com/plants/
  • GBIF.org (2021). GBIF species matching tool. https://www.gbif.org/tools/species-lookup
  • GRIN (2021). Germplasm Resources Information Network from the United States Department of Agriculture. https://www.ars-grin.gov/
  • Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humbodlt (2014). Plantas alimenticias y medicinales nativas de Colombia. 2567 registros, aportados por: Castellanos, C. (Contacto del recurso), Valderrama, N. (Creador del recurso, Autor), Bernal, Y. (Autor), García, N. (Autor). http://i2d.humboldt.org.co/ceiba/resource.do?r=ls_colombia_magnoliophyta_2014
  • Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS) v.10 (2021); http://mpns.kew.org/
  • PROTA (2021). Plants Resources of Tropical Africa. https://prota4u.org/database/
  • RBG, Kew (2021). Kew Economic Botany Collection. https://ecbot.science.kew.org/
  • Willis, K.J. (ed.) (2017). State of the World’s Plants 2017. Report. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jul 3, 2023 Christenhusz, M.J.M.; Mian, S.; Leitch, A.; Leitch, I. [MC9626] United Kingdom K001527250 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [s.n.] K004694445 Yes
Montford, H.M. [15] K004694396 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] K004694438 Yes
Montford, H.M. [8] K004694395 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [49] K004694428 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [51] K004694426 Yes
Christenhusz, M.J.M. [MC9314] United Kingdom K001400946 Yes
Metcalfe, E. [s.n.] K004694455 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [47] K004694433 Yes
Montford, H.M. [8] K004694394 Yes
Horwood, A.R. [s.n.] K004694452 Yes
Melville, R.; Melville, E.F. [3665] K004694422 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [2] K004694378 Yes
Crawley, M. [330] United Kingdom K001275984 No
Gamble, J.S. [29833] K004694437 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [s.n.] K004694414 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [94] K004694424 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [48] K004694432 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [4002] K004694399 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [s.n.] K004694415 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [49] K004694429 Yes
Montford, H.M. [3] K004694381 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [2031] K004694403 Yes
Gamble, J.S. [29834] K004694454 Yes
Horwood, A.R. [s.n.] K004694440 Yes
White, J.W. [s.n.] K004694413 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] K004694420 Yes
Thurston, E. [s.n.] K004694371 Yes
Wyatt, J.W. [230] K004694446 Yes
Montford, H.M. [12] K004694389 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [s.n.] K004694418 Yes
Thurston, E. [s.n.] K004694372 Yes
Thurston, E. [s.n.] K004694370 Yes
Wyatt, J.W. [85] K004694447 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [48] K004694431 Yes
Bruins-Lich, H. [s.n.] K004694439 Yes
Cope, T.A. [RBG 310] United Kingdom K000914317 Yes
Summerhayes, V.S. [1340] K004694409 Yes
Montford, H.M. [12] K004694390 Yes
Summerhayes, V.S. [1340] K004694408 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [51] K004694435 Yes
Montford, H.M. [7] K004694384 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [2031] K004694400 Yes
Montford, H.M. [11] K004694391 Yes
Montford, H.M. [13] K004694388 Yes
Ker, M.D. [62] K004694405 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [s.n.] K004694444 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [94] K004694423 Yes
Rodger, A. [1] K004694397 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [2030] K004694401 Yes
Horwood, A.R. [s.n.] K004694450 Yes
Devis, H.F. [s.n.] K004694410 Yes
Wright, C.H. [272] K004694398 Yes
Melville, R.; Melville, E.F. [3664] K004694421 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [94] K004694425 Yes
Montford, H.M. [9] K004694393 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [s.n.] K004694443 Yes
Horwood, A.R. [s.n.] K004694442 Yes
Thurston, E. [s.n.] K004694375 Yes
Montford, H.M. [15] K004694386 Yes
Montford, H.M. [1] K004694376 Yes
Horwood, A.R. [s.n.] K004694441 Yes
Thurston, E. [s.n.] K004694374 Yes
Wyatt, J.W. [85] K004694448 Yes
Bell, J.H. [[356]] K004694404 Yes
Montford, H.M. [1] K004694383 Yes
Gamble, J.S. [29239] K004694453 Yes
Thurston, E. [s.n.] K004694368 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [s.n.] K004694419 Yes
Cope, T.A. [RBG 158] United Kingdom K000914320 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [50] K004694427 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [s.n.] K004694417 Yes
Wyatt, J.W. [85] K004694451 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [s.n.] K004694416 Yes
Montford, H.M. [3] K004694380 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [47] K004694434 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [2030] K004694402 Yes
Montford, H.M. [3] K004694379 Yes
White, J.W. [s.n.] K004694411 Yes
Thurston, E. [s.n.] K004694369 Yes
Montford, H.M. [13] K004694387 Yes
Montford, H.M. [1] K004694382 Yes
Turrill, W.B. (Dr.) [48] K004694430 Yes
Montford, H.M. [2] K004694377 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] K004694407 Yes
Montford, H.M. [11] K004694392 Yes
Makins, F.K. [1392] K004694412 Yes
Giles, J.J. [89] United Kingdom K001419137 Yes
Wyatt, J.W. [85] K004694449 Yes
Montford, H.M. [9] K004694385 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] K004694406 Yes

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0