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''Echium'' 〔''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607〕 is a genus of 60 species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae. The type species is ''Echium vulgare'' (viper's bugloss). Species of ''Echium'' are native to North Africa, mainland Europe and the Macaronesian islands where it reaches its maximum diversity.〔Böhle, U.-R., Hilger, H.H. & Martin, W.F. 2001. Island colonization and evolution of the insular woody habit in Echium L. (Boraginaceae). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 93:11740-11745.〕 Some species have become invasive in southern Africa and Australia, and one of those, ''Echium plantagineum'' (Patterson's Curse), is a major invasive species in Australia. ==Uses== Many species are used as ornamental and garden plants and may be found in suitable climates throughout the world. In Crete ''Echium italicum'' is called pateroi (πάτεροι) or voidoglosses (βοϊδόγλωσσες) and its tender shoots are eaten boiled or steamed. ''Echium'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including ''Coleophora onosmella'' and Orange Swift. The seed oil from ''Echium plantagineum'' contains high levels of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA), making it valuable in cosmetic and skin care applications, with further potential as a functional food, as an alternative to fish oils.〔National Non-Food Crops Centre. (NNFCC Crop Factsheet: Echium )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「echium」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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