紫草

Lithospermum is a genus of plants belonging to the family Boraginaceae.紫草是紫草科的一种植物。 Herbs or small shrubs, they are widely distributed except in Australasia.草药或小灌木，除在大洋洲外，分布广泛。 Species are known generally as gromwells or stoneseeds.物种通常被称为线虫或石斑鱼。
有些种类，例如紫草（Lithospermum arvense），有时被归类为Buglossoides属，但是，诸如中国植物群（Flora of China）等作品将该属归入紫草。
Lithospermum officinale, or gromwell, is a European native while Lithospermum caroliniense, a species of puccoon, is native to North America.紫草（Lithospermum officinale）是欧洲原住民，而紫罗兰（Listospermum caroliniense）紫罗兰属的一种原产于北美。 Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum is native to Japan, where it has been traditionally been used to make a purple dye.紫草紫草（Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum）原产于日本，传统上被用来制造紫色染料。