This Mediterranean weed is widely scattered in Ky. but usually in small numbers. Colls. from GARR (KY) and elsewhere appear transitional to var. pustulatum (Sibthorp & Sm.) Coincy, which is treated as a species by some authors. However, no colls. are clearly referable to that taxon (M). E. vulgare has much human medicinal use for, but (like other Boraginaceae) iit is generally avoided by mammalian herbivores (Moerman 2009, Roeder et al. 2015)..