(From and to turn to). Turnsole, or Heliotrope. The flowers are funnel shaped; their brims cut into ten unequal segments; collected into a long reflexed spike, resembling a scorpion's tail; each flower followed by four naked gibbose seeds. Heliotropium Europaeum Lin. Sp. Pl. 187.

Heliotropium majus. The great turnsole Its leaves are bitter; the petals are changed to a deep blue by alkalis, and to a red by acids, and are consequently the chemist's test for the presence of each. The juice of this plant destroys warts; and a decoction of it is said to be an active purgative.

Heliotropium tricoccum; ricinoides; French, or colouring turnsole; croton tinctorium Lin. Sp. Pl. 1425. This species grows plentifully in France; the leaves are of a pale green; the flowers yellow: when the berries are expressed, linen rags are dipped in the juice, and exposed to the vapour of urine, which gives them a red colour. The colour of this species of turnsole is extremely susceptible of alteration by acids. See Raii Historia Plantarum.

Heliotropium Indicum. See Battatas Canadensis.