Anchusa capensis (Introduced)

Anchusa capensis Thunb., Prodr. Pl. Cap. 34 1794. (Syn: Anchusa dregei A.DC.; Anchusa officinalis Thunb. (Misapplied); Anchusa riparia A.DC.);

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S. Africa as per POWO;
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South Africa (Gauteng, Mpulamanga, Free State, N-Cape Prov., W-Cape Prov., E-Cape Prov.), Lesotho, Namibia (I), Botswana, Australia (I) (Western Australia (I), South Australia (I), Victoria (I)), Taiwan (I), Myanmar [Burma] (I), USA (I) (Oregon (I)) as per CoL;
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Boraginaceae Week: Anchusa capensis Thunb. from Kashmir:
Anchusa capensis Thunb., Prodr. pl. cap. 34. 1794

Common names: annual anchusa, Cape alkanet, Cape bugloss, Cape-forget-me-not, summer-forget-me-not

Much branched erect plant growing to 1 m in flowers with rough linear leaves and blue flowers having white scales in throat.
Commonly cultivated in gardens in Kashmir. Photographed from Hazuri Bagh (Iqbal Garden), Srinagar, Kashmir.

very pretty color.. but is it supposed to have six petals… aren’t the flowers of Boraginaceae five petalled? exceptions , I guess.

you really have a keen eye
Perhaps an odd flower has six petals. Most have five.

I am new member. I will load some pictures of M hamata native to Western Rajasthan. I enjoyed M himalayana pics up loaded by … I am interested in sites/habitat of M rubraculis subsp. himalayana native growing naturally in India. Can any one have any idea about this including altitude it prefer to grow (sea level), rain fall it needs. I am working on N fixation capability and microsymbiont of Indian Mimosa (M. hamata and M. himalayana).

This species grows in subtropical belt and should not be difficult to grow in Rajasthan. We had it growing in our botanical Garden in Delhi once. It did well for several years.

Hazuribagh garden in Srinagar on June 16, 2010;

Anchusa capensis from Kashmir – efloraofindia | Google Groups

Anchusa capensis from Kashmir-GS24062022-1: 5 very high res. images.
Anchusa capensis photographed from Botanical Garden, Cheshmashahi, Kashmir, 26-6-2010.