Heliotropium foertherianum

Description:

Tree heliotrope(Syn. Tournefortia argentea)Boraginaceae (Borage family)Range: native to tropical Asia, Madagascar, tropical Australia, and most of the atolls and high islands of Micronesia and PolynesiaNaturalized in the Hawaiian Islands (commonly seen along coastal areas from Kure Atoll to Hawaii Island)Photo: Turtle Bay, OahuThe wood is commonly used to make handicrafts, tools, and, in Polynesia, frames for swim goggles. Due to its availability, it is used as firewood, and has become rare in some areas as a result.Medicinally used in many Pacific islands as a traditional medicine to treat ciguatera fish poisoning, which is caused by powerful ciguatoxins produced by microscopic Gambierdiscus algae.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliotropium_foertherianum