Echium /ˈɛkiəm/ is a genus of 60 species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae. The type species is Echium vulgare (viper's bugloss). Species of Echium are native to North Africa, mainland Europe and the Macaronesian islands where it reaches its maximum diversity. Some species have become invasive in southern Africa and Australia, and one of those, Echium plantagineum (Patterson's Curse), is a major invasive species in Australia.