Question 1

What is Tournefortia argentea used for in traditional medicine?

Accepted Answer

Tournefortia argentea is catalogued in Sri Lanka's ayurvedic medicinal plant register and has been used in folk-medicine traditions across the Indo-Pacific. Preparations from the bark, leaves, and roots have been associated with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial applications. Formal clinical research on the plant is still developing, so traditional use should be understood in that context.

Question 2

Where does Tournefortia argentea grow in Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

The plant grows along Sri Lanka's coastal belt, favouring sandy beaches, coral rubble, and the margins of coastal scrub. It is adapted to saline, well-drained soils and is most easily found along the western, southern, and north-western shorelines. It often grows alongside coconut palms and other littoral vegetation.

Question 3

What does Tournefortia argentea look like?

Accepted Answer

It is an evergreen shrub or small tree that typically reaches two to five metres in height, with large, fleshy leaves covered in dense silvery hairs that give the plant its botanical name. Small white or cream flowers appear in coiled clusters (scorpioid cymes), and the plant produces small fleshy fruits that float on ocean currents for dispersal.

Question 4

Is Tournefortia argentea the same as beach heliotrope?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Tournefortia argentea is widely known in English as beach heliotrope or tree heliotrope. It belongs to the Boraginaceae family, the same family as true heliotropes, which explains the common name. In some parts of the Pacific it is also called octopus bush due to the branching pattern of its flower clusters.

Question 5

Is Tournefortia argentea native to Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

Tournefortia argentea is indigenous to tropical coastal regions across the Indo-Pacific, and Sri Lanka falls within its natural range. It is not an introduced or invasive species in the Sri Lankan context; rather, it is a naturally occurring component of the island's coastal plant communities.

Question 6

Why is Tournefortia argentea included in Sri Lanka's ayurvedic plant catalogue?

Accepted Answer

Sri Lanka's Department of Ayurveda maintains an official catalogue of plants recognised within the country's traditional medicine system. Tournefortia argentea has been included because of its documented use in regional folk medicine across its distribution range and its presence in Sri Lanka's coastal ecosystems. Catalogue registration supports research, conservation, and the protection of traditional knowledge.

Question 7

How does Tournefortia argentea reproduce and spread?

Accepted Answer

The plant produces small, buoyant drupes that are dispersed by ocean currents, allowing the species to colonise suitable coastal habitats across vast distances. This mechanism explains why Tournefortia argentea has a distribution stretching from East Africa to the Pacific islands. Locally, established plants spread vegetatively and by seed in suitable sandy substrates.