Taxon: Anchusa officinalis L.

Summary

Genus:

Anchusa

Family:

Boraginaceae

Subfamily:

Boraginoideae

Tribe:

Boragineae

Subtribe:

Boragininae

Nomen number:

3105

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:133. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

05/26/1994 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

3 (2 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Anchusa angustifolia L.
Anchusa procera Besser ex Link

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 71, 76-77.
Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 202.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1202.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Harden, G. J., ed. 1990-1993. Flora of New South Wales. Note: mentions
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Randall, R. P. 2002. A global compendium of weeds
Stace, C. 1995. New flora of the British Isles.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1961. Webster's third new international dictionary.
2018. Mid-Atlantic invasive plant species (on-line resource)

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	alkanet		1	Stace, C. 1995. New flora of the British Isles.
English	bugloss		1	1961. Webster's third new international dictionary.
English	common bugloss		1	Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 71, 76-77.
English	oxtongue		1	1961. Webster's third new international dictionary.
English (Canada)	common bugloss	Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 202.
French	buglosse officinale		2	Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 71, 76-77.
French (Canada)	buglosse officinale	Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 202.
German	gemeine Ochsenzunge		2	Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 71, 76-77.
German	gewöhnliche Ochsenzunge		2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1202.
Portuguese (Brazil)	buglossa		2	Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Spanish	buglosa		2	Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Swedish	oxtunga		2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Turkey			Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Belarus			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Estonia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Latvia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Lithuania			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Moldova			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation-European part	European part	w.	Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Czech Republic			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Netherlands			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Poland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Slovakia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Switzerland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Denmark			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Sweden		s.	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Albania			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Croatia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Serbia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Slovenia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France		incl. Corsica	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain	Baleares		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated					also cult.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Northern Europe	Finland			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Europe	Northern Europe	Norway			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Ontario		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	South Dakota		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Wisconsin		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Connecticut		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maine		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Massachusetts		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Michigan		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Hampshire		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Jersey		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New York		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Ohio		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Rhode Island		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Colorado		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Idaho		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Montana		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Oregon		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Washington		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Utah		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	British Columbia		Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Buenos Aires		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	La Pampa		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.

Native
Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Turkey

Europe

NORTHERN EUROPE: Denmark, Sweden (s.)
MIDDLE EUROPE: Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia
EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part (w.)], Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain [Baleares], France (incl. Corsica)

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Europe

NORTHERN EUROPE: Finland, Norway

Northern America

EASTERN CANADA: Canada [Ontario]
WESTERN CANADA: Canada [British Columbia]
NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Illinois, Missouri, South Dakota, Wisconsin]
NORTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [California, Utah]

Southern America

SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Buenos Aires, La Pampa]

Reference(s)

Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Kartesz, J. T. 2011. North American plant atlas. The Biota of North America Program (BONAP)
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Reference
Environmental	ornamental	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Environmental	ornamental	Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 71, 76-77.
Materials	tannin/dyestuff	Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 71, 76-77.
Medicines	folklore	Bennett, M. 2003. Pulmonarias and the Borage family 71, 76-77.
Weed		Randall, R. P. 2002. A global compendium of weeds

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=3105. Accessed 17 April 2026.