It includes 81 species native to Eurasia, Africa, New Guinea, and Australia.

[1] Cynoglossum officinale, the common hound's-tongue, is a native of Asia, Africa, and Europe.

It has been introduced into North America, and it is considered to be a troublesome weed because its burs stick to the wool of sheep and to other animals.

Ingestion of this plant can also lead to photosensitivity in grazing animals.

[citation needed] As of July 2024[update], there are 81 accepted species in the genus:[1] This Boraginoideae article is a stub.