Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Arctium minus
Smaller burdock, Lesser burrdock, Common burdock
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA PlantsITISThe Plant ListIPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNAUSDA PlantsBONAPBISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

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F
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M
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A
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M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
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O
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N
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D
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Europe

Species Description

General: Dicot-herb, biennial

Roots: primary

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Pinnate leaf venation; orbicular and peltate, sagittate leaf shape

Inflorescence: head

Flowers: perfect; complete, regular; red, violet, white, others; epigynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Roads; wastes, about dwellings; along railroads; weed patches, especially where cultivated or abused by livestock; dump heaps, barnyards, bridle paths, and other high nitrogen soils; protected pastures, boulders and fences, where cattle rub off the clinging sticky burs.

ILPIN Notes: Occasional white-flowered form pallidum Farw. and lacinate-leaved f. lacinatum Clute seen. Most Illinois burdocks are of this species. A tasty vegetable, young stems or petioles; pith of young eaten raw or candied; roots peeled and boiled in a soup; dried and mixed with coffee. The root was used as a diuretic and alternative ointment for burns and sores.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State:
  • Chicago Area:

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