Arctium minus

Arctium minus is a biennial plant growing up to {{Convert|1.8|m|ft|frac=2}} tall{{Cite book|last=Elias|first=Thomas S.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/244766414|title=Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods|last2=Dykeman|first2=Peter A.|publisher=Sterling|year=2009|isbn=978-1-4027-6715-9|location=New York|pages=112|oclc=244766414|orig-year=1982}}{{Cite book |last=Francis-Baker |first=Tiffany |title=Concise Foraging Guide |date=2021 |publisher=Bloomsbury |isbn=978-1-4729-8474-6 |series=The Wildlife Trusts |location=London |pages=80}} and form multiple branches. It is large and bushy. The leaves are up to {{Convert|50|cm|abbr=on}} long and ovate. The lower leaves are heart-shaped and have very wavy margins. Leaves are dark green above and woolly below. It grows an extremely deep taproot, up to {{convert|30|cm|0|abbr=on}} into the ground.John W. Thieret, William A. Niering, and Nancy C. Olmstead. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region, Revised edition. Chanticleer Press, Inc, 2001. {{ISBN|0-375-40232-2}}Richard H. Uva, Joseph C. Neal, and Joseph M. Ditomaso. Weeds of the Northeast. Cornell University Press, 1997. {{ISBN|0-8014-8334-4}} The plant produces flowers in its second year of growth, from July to October. The flowers are prickly and pink to purple in color. The flower heads are about {{convert|2|cm|abbr=on|frac=4}} wide, surrounded by a cluster of bracts. The outer bracts end in hooks causing a hook-and-loop effect after the flower head dries, when the bracts will attach to humans and animals to transport the seedhead.{{cite book |last=Rose |first=Francis |title=The Wild Flower Key |publisher=Frederick Warne & Co |year=1981 |isbn=0-7232-2419-6 |pages=386–387 |authorlink=Francis Rose}}

The flowers resemble and can be easily mistaken for thistles, but burdock can be distinguished by its extremely large leaves and its hooked bracts.

File:Arctium minus 010.jpg|Flower

File:Arctium minus corimbo.jpg|Flower buds

The plant is native to Europe,[http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index1.php?scientific-name=arctium+minus Altervista Flora Italiana, Lappola bardana minore Arctium minus (Hill) Bernh.] includes photos plus European distribution map but has become introduced elsewhere such as Australia, North and South America, and other places.[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242416085 Flora of North America, Vol. 19, 20 and 21 Page 170 Common or lesser burdock, petite bardane, cibourroche, chou bourache, bourrier, Arctium minus (Hill) Bernhardi, Syst. Verz. 154. 1800. ][http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Arctium%20lappa.png Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map]Marticorena, C. & M. Quezada. 1985. Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Chile. Gayana, Botánica 42: 1–157[http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Arctium+minus Atlas of Living Australia]

The leafstalks (up to a year old), leaves, and flower stalks can be eaten raw or cooked. The roots are edible boiled with a change of water, though become too woody to eat in plants over a year old.{{Cite book|last=Benoliel|first=Doug|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/668195076|title=Northwest Foraging: The Classic Guide to Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest|publisher=Skipstone|year=2011|isbn=978-1-59485-366-1|edition=Rev. and updated|location=Seattle, WA|pages=55|oclc=668195076}} The leaves can also be used to make herbal tea.

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{{commonscat|Arctium minus}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070814063755/http://www.missouriplants.com/Pinkalt/Arctium_minus_page.html Many pictures & information]

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minus

Category:Edible plants

Category:Flora of Europe

Category:Plants described in 1762

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