Echium hypertropicum is a species of flowering plants of the family Boraginaceae. The species is endemic to Cape Verde.Oromí, Martín, Zurita & Cabrera, 2005 : Lista preliminar de especies silvestres de Cabo Verde: Hongos, Plantas y Animales Terrestres. Gobierno de Canarias, Consejería de Medio Ambiente y Ordenación Territorial, p. 41 It is listed as an endangered plant by the IUCN.
Its local name is língua-de-vaca (cow tongue), a name that may also refer to the related species Echium vulcanorum and Echium stenosiphon.Plantas endémicas e arvores indígenas de Cabo Verde The oil of its seeds contains γ-linolenic acid, and is used for medicinal and dietary purposes.
Description The plant can reach 2 m height. Its leaves are lance-shaped and can be up to 20 cm long. Its flowers are whitish, purplish or bluish. Old plants higher than 0.5–1 m are extremely rare today.
Distribution and ecology Echium hypertropicum occurs on the islands of Santiago and Brava. It mainly occurs in sub-humid and humid zones.
References
Further reading
The endemic vascular plants of the Cape Verde Islands, W Africa, Sommerfeltia 24, 1997, C. Brochmann, Ø. H. Rustan, W. Lobin & N. Kilian, ISSN 0800-6865,