Carrot-fern (Conium maculatum, Sp. Pl.: 243 (1753))

Family: Apiaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 243 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Conium

Vegetable: False

Observations: Europe to Xinjiang and W. Himalaya, N. Africa to Ethiopia

Description

The Carrot-fern, scientifically known as Conium maculatum, is a notable species within the Apiaceae family. Described and classified formally in 1753 by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in his pivotal work “Species Plantarum,” this plant has an intriguing botanical history.

Widely distributed, Carrot-fern can be found sprawling across a vast geographical range. Its native habitat extends from various parts of Europe to the western regions of Xinjiang and the western Himalayas. It is also present in North Africa, reaching as far south as Ethiopia. Such widespread occurrence showcases its adaptability to diverse climatic and ecological conditions.

Carrot-fern is distinctive for its finely divided, fern-like leaves that resemble those of the carrot plant, hence its common name. It is essential to approach this plant with caution, as Conium maculatum is highly toxic. This species contains potent alkaloids that can be harmful, even lethal, if ingested in sufficient quantities.

Understanding the ecological role and distribution of Carrot-fern contributes significantly to botanical research and environmental management. Its presence in a wide array of regions highlights its adaptability and the various challenges it may pose to local ecosystems. Therefore, both its potential hazards and its ecological significance deserve thoughtful consideration.

Common Names

Dan: almindelig skarntyde, eng-brandbæger, skarntyde, smalfliget brandbæger
Eng: carrot-fern, deadly hemlock, fool’s-parsley, hemlock, poison hemlock, poison parsley, poison-hemlock, spotted-hemlock, spotted-parsley, common poison-hemlock, spotted parsley
Spa: cicuta, encaje cimarrón, panalillo, zanahoria silvestre
Swe: flikstånds, hampstånds, höstrudbeckia, stånds, myrkkykatko, odört
Deu: gefleckter schierling
Fin: jaakonvillakko, liuskavillakko, myrkkykatko
Nor: landøyda, smalsvineblom
Ces: bolehlav plamatý, bolehlav škvrnitý
Por: cicuta, cicuta-da-europa, funcho-selvagem, salsa-brava
Nld: gevlekte scheerling
Nno: giftkjeks
Nob: giftkjeks
Fra: grande ciguë, grande cigüe, cigüe maculée, ciguë d’europe, ciguë tachetée, ciguë tachée
Cym: cecys, cecyt, cegid, cegid tir sych, cegiden, cegiden gyffredin, ceginen cyffredin, cegyr, dibynlor, gwyn y dillad, gysblys
Tur: baldiran
En: Carrot-fern, Fool’s-parsley, Poison-hemlock, Spotted-hemlock, Spotted-parsley, Hemlock, Poison hemlock, Cigue maculee, POISONHEMLOCK, Deadly hemlock, Poison parsley, Common poison-hemlock, Spotted parsley, Kex, Spotted Hemlock
Sq: Kakuda
Ar: شوكران أبقع
Hy: Գինազոխ բծավոր
Az: Xallı badyan
Eu: Astaperrexil handi
Be: Балігалоў плямісты
Bn: কনিয়াম ম্যাকুলেটাম
Bg: Бучиниш
My: ဟင်းမလော့ပင်
Ca: Cicuta, Cicuta major
Zh: 毒参
Kw: Kegis
Hr: Kukuta
Cs: Bolehlav plamatý, Bolehlav škvrnitý
Da: Giftkjeks, Skarntyde, Almindelig skarntyde, Eng-Brandbæger, Smalfliget Brandbæger
Nl: Gevlekte scheerling
Eo: Makula konio
Et: Täpiline surmaputk
Fi: Myrkkykatko, Täplämyrkkykatko, Jaakonvillakko, Liuskavillakko
Fr: Cigüe maculée, Grande ciguë, “Grande cigüe, Ciguë tachée”, Ciguë tachetée, Grande cigüe, Ciguë d’Europe, Ciguë tachée, Cigüe aquatique, Ciguë vénéneuse, Cigüe vireuse
Gl: Cicuta
De: Flecken-Schierling, Fleckenschierling, Gefleckter Schierling, Tollkraut, Wüterich, Ziegendill, Geflecker-Schierling
El: Κώνειον το στικτόν
He: רוש עקוד
Hi: हेमलाक
Hu: Foltos bürök
Is: Òðjurt, Skarnjurt
Io: Cikuto
Ga: Moing mhear
It: Cicuta maggiore
Kk: Wbaldırğan, Убалдырған, ۋبالدىرعان
Ky: Сасык балтыркан
Ko: 독당근
Ku: Giyajehrk
Lt: Dėmėtoji mauda
Mk: Буцумис
Ml: ഹെമ്ലോക് പ്ലാന്റ്
No: Giftkjeks, Landøyda, Smalsvineblom
Nb: Giftkjeks
Nn: Giftkjeks
Os: Такъуындела
Fa: شوکران زهرآلود
Pl: Szczwół plamisty
Pt: Ansarinha-malhada, Cegude, Cicuta, Salsa-brava, Cicuta-da-europa, Funcho-selvagem
Pt-br: Cicuta, Funcho-selvagem
Qu: Jama-jama
Ru: Болиголов пятнистый
Gd: Ith-teodha, Iteodha, Minmhear, Moing mhear, Muing mhara
Sr: Кукута
Sk: Bolehlav škvrnitý
Es: Perejil de chucho, Perejil de monte, Panalillo, Zanahoria silvestre, Encaje cimarrón, Pikasti mišjak, Cicuta, Cicuta mayor
Sv: Odört, Flikstånds, Hampstånds, Höstrudbeckia, Stånds, Myrkkykatko
Tr: Baldıran, Baldiran
Uk: Болиголов плямистий
Uz: Zangpoya
Cy: Cegiden, Cecys, Cecyt, Cegid, Cegid Tir Sych, Cegiden Gyffredin, Ceginen Cyffredin, Cegyr, Dibynlor, Gwyn y Dillad, Gysblys

Synonyms

• Coriandrum cicuta (Crantz)
• Conium ceretanum (Sennen)
• Conium strictum (Tratt.)
• Conium nodosum (Fisch. ex Steud.)
• Conium tenuifolium (Mill.)
• Conium cicuta ((Crantz) Neck.)
• Conium sibiricum (Steud.)
• Conium maculosum (Pall.)
• Conium croaticum (Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd.)
• Conium pyrenaicum (Sennen & Elías)
• Conium maculatum var. viride (DC.)
• Conium maculatum subsp. leiocarpum ((Boiss.) Drude)
• Conium leiocarpum ((Boiss.) Stapf)
• Selinum conium (E.H.L.Krause)
• Sium conium (Vest)
• Conium maculatum subsp. viride ((DC.) Espeut)
• Conium maculatum subsp. croaticum ((Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd.) Drude)
• Cicuta major (Lam.)
• Cicuta officinalis (Crantz)
• Conium maculatum var. barceloi (O.Bolòs & Vigo)
• Conium maculatum var. leiocarpum (Boiss.)
• Coriandrum maculatum ((L.) Roth)
• Conium maculatum var. immaculatum (Schur)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Albania (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Austria (native)
• Baleares (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Corse (native)
• Cyprus (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Ethiopia (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Krym (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Libya (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Saudi Arabia (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yemen (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Alberta (introduced)
• Altay (introduced)
• Amsterdam-St.Paul Is (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina Northwest (introduced)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Azores (introduced)
• Bolivia (introduced)
• Brazil South (introduced)
• Brazil Southeast (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Canary Is. (introduced)
• Cape Provinces (introduced)
• Cayman Is. (introduced)
• Chile Central (introduced)
• Chile South (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• El Salvador (introduced)
• Falkland Is. (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Great Britain (introduced)
• Guatemala (introduced)
• Haiti (introduced)
• Honduras (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Ireland (introduced)
• Japan (introduced)
• Juan Fernández Is. (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Krasnoyarsk (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Madeira (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Mozambique (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Brunswick (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Norway (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Primorye (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• Saskatchewan (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• South Dakota (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Uruguay (introduced)
• Utah (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Siberia (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)
• Zimbabwe (introduced)

Additional Images

Fruit

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − H. Zell (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 2, 2021 by Sergio costantini (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 3, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 20, 2021 by Blanca Antonio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 10, 2014 by Tela Botanica − John DE VOS (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Jun 22, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 21, 2016 by EOL − Chuck Sexton (cc-by-nc)

Taken May 30, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 22, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 22, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Jun 8, 2019 by Varrey Daniel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 2, 2018 by chilkai (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 26, 2020 by nicolas pecqueux (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 22, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 22, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Jul 17, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 15, 2020 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 3, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 22, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Leaf

Taken Jun 18, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 19, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 10, 2018 by César Gonzalez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 2, 2019 by Laurentvolgelsheim (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 26, 2020 by nicolas pecqueux (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken May 30, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 29, 2019 by Matteo Matteo (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 23, 2022 by Pl@ntNet (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 28, 2018 by Adil Adil (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 19, 2020 by ecoart estefania (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3034807)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:840668-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Conium maculatum L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.0

Ph minimum: 6.5

Light: 7

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Soil nutriments: 7