Caucalis Explained

Caucalis platycarpos is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, the only member of the genus Caucalis. Common names are carrot bur parsley, small bur-parsley, and burr parsley.^[1] It is native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East as far east as Iran.^{[2] [3]}

Caucalis platycarpos is an annual up to tall with trailing stems. Leaves are highly divided into many small leaflets. Flowers are produced in an umbel of 2 to 5 flowers, each with white or pink petals. The fruit is an oblong capsule with many hooked spines on the surface.^{[2] [4]}

Distribution

It is distributed in southwest Asia, North Africa and most of central and Southern Europe; almost all of the Iberian Peninsula.

Habitat

It is found in crop fields, fallows and nitrophilous grasslands. Preferably in basic substrates at an altitude of 100-1000 (1600) meters. Flowering occurs in March - June (July) and fruiting in May - August.

Notes and References

1. 23881052 . 10.3390/molecules18078666 . 18 . 7 . Phenolic content and antioxidant activities of burr parsley (Caucalis platycarpos L.) . Molecules . 8666–81 . Plazonić . A . Mornar . A . Maleš . Ž . Kujundžić . N. 2013 . 6269816 . free .
2. http://www.tela-botanica.org/bdtfx-nn-14897-synthese Tela Botanica, Caucalis à feuilles de carotte, Caucalis platycarpos L.
3. http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index1.php?scientific-name=caucalis+platycarpos Altervista Flora Italiana, Lappola carota, Kletten-Haftdolde, piggkörvel, Caucalis platycarpos L.
4. http://www.unavarra.es/herbario/htm/Cauc_plat.htm Herbario de la Universidad Pública de Navarra, Flora Arvense de Navarra, familia Umbelliferae, Caucalis platycarpos L.