Echium plantagineum (E. lycopsis, E. violaceum)
Salvation Jane (Aus)
Annual or biennial herb to c. 90 cm high covered with stiff hairs. Basal leaves c. 15 x 3.5 cm, linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate; upper cauline lvs smaller, sessile, lanceolate to oblong. Funnel shaped flowers in a spike 20-30 mm long, reddish in bud, becoming purplish blue or blue; upper lobes bigger than lower; 2 stamens sticking out (cf viper's bugloss); filaments deep pink; anthers blue. Flowers in summer.
Viper's bugloss is very similar.
Found throughout the North Island, particularly N. of the Volcanic Plateau; rare in the northern parts of the South Island in waste places, old pastures, roadsides in and around settlements. Paterson's curse is not as abundant as the related viper's bugloss and is restricted to warmer areas.
Pyrrolidizine alkaloids.
Sheep in Australia - not reported in NZ.
Sheep - chronic hepatocyte damage with enhanced uptake of copper leading to chronic copper poisoning.
Ascites with oedema of the mesentery and associated intestinal and gall bladder walls and a small fibrotic liver. Jaundice may or may not be present and there are usually diffuse subendocardial haemorrhages. Histopathological changes in the liver usually include atrophy of the liver parenchyma, with zonal or diffuse megalocytosis of the hepatocytes; biliary duct hyperplasia with associated postal tract fibrosis, and perivascular fibrosis, affecting central veins.
Provide other feed.
Connor, HE, The Poisonous plants in New Zealand, 2nd ed.,1977, Government Publications Ltd., Wellington
Mortimer, H.I. (1988). Salivaton Jane (Paterson’s Curse) toxicity for horses. Australian Equine Veterinary Association Newsletter Vol.4, No.1, pp 17-19
4 October, 2007
