Paterson's curse

Definition

A common name for Echium plantagineum, an invasive annual herb in the borage family (Boraginaceae) native to western Europe and the Mediterranean region, now widespread in southern Australia. The plant produces abundant purple flowers rich in nectar and pollen, attracting generalist pollinators including honey bees and native bees, yet its high concentration of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids poisons grazing livestock—particularly horses—and displaces native vegetation, altering habitat structure for ground-dwelling arthropods.

Etymology

Named after the Paterson family of Cumberoona, New South Wales, who reportedly introduced seeds to Australia in the 1880s; "curse" reflects its agricultural and ecological damage.

Example

In Australian rangelands, Paterson's curse can dominate disturbed ground, creating dense monocultures that reduce native forb diversity and consequently diminish host-plant availability for specialist herbivorous beetles and Lepidoptera, while its extended flowering period subsidizes generalist pollinators and honey bee colonies at the expense of native plant pollination networks.

Synonyms

• purple viper's-bugloss
• Salvation Jane
• Echium plantagineum

Related Terms

• Invasive species
• Pyrrolizidine alkaloid
• rangeland ecology
• pollinator subsidy
• weed biological control

Usage Notes

The name "Salvation Jane" is used in South Australia and Victoria, particularly during drought when the plant serves as emergency fodder (despite toxicity risks). In Western Australia and New South Wales, "Paterson's curse" predominates. The spelling "Patterson's curse" (with double 't') appears in some sources but is less common in Australian usage. The plant is not a curse in its native range, where specialized herbivores and competitors limit its abundance.