Boraginaceae

(bor-aj-ji-NAY-see-ee)
– a family in the Boraginales order –

Here in the St. Louis Area, we have 15 not-too-obscure plants that are in the Borage Family. Each member can be placed into one of 2 distinctive subfamilies: the Boraginoideae “BOR” subfamily (9 species) or the newly added Hydrophylloideae “HYDRO” subfamily (6 species):

• Buglossoides arvensis (Corn Gromwell) BOR [intro]
• Cynoglossum officinale (Hound’s Tongue) BOR [intro]
• Cynoglossum virginianum (Wild Comfrey) BOR [CC6]

• Echium vulgare (Viper’s Bugloss) BOR [intro]
• Ellisia nyctelea (Aunt Lucy) HYDRO [CC1]
• Hackelia virginiana (Virginia Stickseed) BOR [CC3]

• Hydrophyllum appendiculatum (Great Waterleaf) HYDRO [CC6]
• Hydrophyllum canadense (Bluntleaf Waterleaf) HYDRO [CC7]
• Hydrophyllum virginianum (Virginia Waterleaf) HYDRO [CC4]

• Lithospermum canescens (Hoary Puccoon) BOR [CC6]
• Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) BOR [CC6]
• Myosotis verna (Spring Forget-Me-Not) BOR [CC2]
• Onosmodium molle (Softhair Marbleseed) BOR [CC4]
  
• Phacelia gilioides (Small-Flowered Phacelia) HYDRO [CC3]
• Phacelia purshii (Miami Mist) HYDRO [CC4]

[CC] = Coefficient of Conservatism