Anchusa aggregata, Hormuzakia aggregata, Massed Alkanet,
Hebrew: לשון-שור מגובבת, Arabic: لسان الثور

Scientific name:		Anchusa aggregata Lehm.
Synonym name:		Hormuzakia aggregata (Lehm.) Gus., Anchusa humilis (Desf.) I.M.Johnst.
Common name:		Massed Alkanet
Hebrew name:		לשון-שור מגובבת
Arabic name:		لسان الثور
Family:		Boraginaceae, זיפניים

Life form:		Annual
Stems:		10-50 cm, ascending, branched; densely hispid with long, white, mostly tubercle-based setae
Leaves:		Alternate, linear-lanceolate, entire
Flowers:		Dark blue, violet
Fruits / pods:		Nutlets, 3x4mm, hemispherical
Flowering Period:		January, February, March, April
Habitat:		Sand
Distribution:		Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Deserts and extreme deserts
Chorotype:		Mediterranean
Summer shedding:		Ephemeral

Derivation of the botanical name: Hormuzakia, named for Constantin Freiherr von Hormuzaki (Czernowitz, Ukraine). Anchusa, αγχουσα, a plant used for cosmetic as a rouge. aggregata, to attach to, connect with; to bring together, collect, gather; meaning: clustered, joined together. humilis, low-growing. The Hebrew name: לשון-שור, לשון, lashon (=tongue) and שור, shor (=ox) ox-tongue. The standard author abbreviation Lehm. is used to indicate Johann Georg Christian Lehmann (1792 – 1860), a German botanist. The standard author abbreviation Gusul. is used to indicate Mikail Gusuleac (1887-1960), a Romainian botanist. The standard author abbreviation Desf. is used to indicate René Louiche Desfontaines (1750 – 1833), a French botanist. The standard author abbreviation I.M.Johnst. is used to indicate Ivan Murray Johnston (1898 – 1960), a United States botanist. The roots of Anchusa contain anchusin (or alkanet-red ), a red-brown resinoid coloring matter. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, chloroform and ether.