Abstract:
Paterson’s curse is a member of the borage family (Boraginaceae). It is native to Mediterranean Europe and North Africa but has spread to southern Africa, South and North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Outside of its native habitat, it is an aggressive, drought-tolerant plant that adapts to many soil moisture levels, enabling it to readily inhabit disturbed areas. It is purportedly named after an Australian family, the Patersons, who planted it in their garden in the 1880s and watched helplessly as it took over the landscape.
