Common burdock (Arctium minus, Syst. Verz. Erf.: 154 (1800))

Family: Asteraceae

Author: (Hill) Bernh.

Bibliography: Syst. Verz. Erf.: 154 (1800)

Year: 1800

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Arctium

Vegetable: False

Observations: Macaronesia, NW. Africa, Europe to W. Siberia and Afghanistan

Description

Common burdock, scientifically known as Arctium minus, belongs to the family Asteraceae. It is a widely distributed plant found across diverse regions including Macaronesia, Northwest Africa, Europe extending to Western Siberia, and even reaching Afghanistan.

The plant is part of a group of weedy species often seen in disturbed soils, alongside roadways, and patches of untamed meadows and fields. Characterized by its robust size and impressive adaptability, Common burdock exhibits a biennial life cycle, meaning it completes its life processes in two years. In its initial year of growth, it develops a dense rosette of leaves, while its second year is marked by a tall flower stalk that can bear numerous flower heads.

Common burdock is particularly recognizable due to its sizable leaves which are heart-shaped and somewhat woolly on the underside. However, its most distinguishing feature is perhaps the bur, a prickly seed head that clings to clothing and animal fur, facilitating its widespread dissemination. This ingenious seed dispersion strategy has allowed Common burdock to establish itself in various habitats.

Aside from its ecological presence, Common burdock holds a noteworthy position in cultural history. Its burs inspired the invention of Velcro, a revolutionary fastening system. Although often regarded as a nuisance by gardeners and hikers, the plant also offers several benefits. Historically, it has been utilized in traditional herbal medicine to address a variety of ailments, owing to its believed diuretic and blood-purifying properties.

In botanical literature, Common burdock was systematically categorized by the botanist Bernh. in 1800, following its initial description by Hill. Its botanical nomenclature and classification underscore its significance within the rich tapestry of plant biodiversity.

In conclusion, Arctium minus, or Common burdock, stands out not only as a resilient and pervasive species but also as a plant with intriguing historical, ecological, and medicinal significance. Its ubiquitous presence across vast regions underscores its adaptability and influence within various ecosystems.

Common Names

Dan: bede, liden burre, svine-melde
Eng: beggar’s button, burdock, common burdock, cuckoo-button, lesser burdock, lesser burrdock, small burdock, smaller burdock, wild burdock, wild rhubarb
Nor: bete, svinemelde, borrer, burre, haar-klægg, klægg, luseblad
Swe: dvärgbenved, strandbeta, vägmålla, liten kardborre, pikkutakiainen, småkardborre
Fin: juurikas, kylämaltsa, kirsikkasorvarinpensas, pikkutakiainen
Deu: kleine klette
Por: baldrame, bardana
Spa: bardana, bardana menor, lampazo, lampazo menor
Fra: bardane, petite bardane
Nld: gewone klit, kleine klit, middelste klit
Ces: lopuch menší
Nno: småborre
Nob: småborre
Cym: cacamwci lleiaf, cedowrach, cedowrach lleiaf, cribau’r bleiddiau lleiaf, cyngaf bach, cyngaf bychan, cyngaf lleiaf
En: Common burdock, Cuckoo-button, Lesser burdock, Sticky Buttons, Lesser Burrdock, SMALL BURDOCK, SMALLER BURDOCK, Beggar’s button, Burdock, Wild burdock, Wild rhubarb, Hurr-bur, Wild Gobo
Ar: أرقطيون صغير
Az: Xırda atpıtrağı
Be: Лопух малы
Bg: Дребен репей
Ca: Repalassa petita, Bardana, Catxurrera
Cs: Lopuch menší
Da: Liden Burre, Bede, Svine-Melde
Nl: Gewone klit, Kleine klit, Middelste klit
Et: Väike takjas
Fi: Pikkutakiainen, Juurikas, Kylämaltsa, Kirsikkasorvarinpensas
Fr: Petite bardane, Bardane, Artichaut, Bardane mineure, Bourrier, Chou bourache, Cibourroche, Graquias, Rapace, Rhubarbe sauvage, Tabac du diable, Toques, Bardane à petites têtes, Bardane à petits capitules
De: Kleine Klette
It: Bardana minore
Lt: Mažoji varnalėša
Gv: Bossan dhoa
No: Småborre, Bete, Svinemelde, Borrer, Burre, Haar-klægg, Klægg, Luseblad
Nb: Småborre
Nn: Småborre
Fa: باباآدم صغیر
Pl: Łopian mniejszy
Pt: Baldrame, Bardana
Ru: Лопух малый
Sk: Lopúch menší
Es: Bardana menor, Lampazo menor, Bardana, Lampazo
Sv: Liten kardborre, Dvärgbenved, Strandbeta, Vägmålla, Pikkutakiainen, Småkardborre
Cy: Cacamwci, Cacamwci Lleiaf, Cedowrach, Cedowrach Lleiaf, Cribau’r Bleiddiau Lleiaf, Cyngaf Bach, Cyngaf Bychan, Cyngaf Lleiaf

Synonyms

• Arctium conglomeratum (Schur ex Nyman)
• Arctium minus subsp. eu-minus ((Hill) Syme)
• Arctium minus var. eu-mediterraneum (Arènes)
• Arctium tomentosum subsp. pubens ((Bab.) Nyman)
• Arctium minus subsp. tibidatensis ((Sennen) Sennen)
• Lappa minor var. pubens ((Bab.) Gustave & Hérib.)
• Lappa minor (Hill)
• Arctium euminus (Syme)
• Lappa vulgaris var. minor ((Hill) Neilr.)
• Arctium melanoceps ((Beger) G.H.Loos)
• Arctium nemorosum var. pubens ((Bab.) Fiori)
• Arctium minus subsp. batavum ((Arènes) Lambinon)
• Arctium minus subsp. mediterraneum (Arènes)
• Arctium pubens (Bab.)
• Arcion minus (Bubani)
• Arctium batavum (Arènes)
• Arctium minus var. melanoceps (Beger)
• Lappa bardana subsp. minor ((Hill) Čelak.)
• Lappa major subsp. pubens ((Boreau) Berher)
• Lappa minor subsp. pubens ((Boreau) Corb.)
• Arctium lappa var. pubens ((Bab.) Fiori)
• Arctium chabertii subsp. balearicum (Arènes)
• Lappa conglomerata (Schur)
• Arctium degeni var. tibidatensis (Sennen)
• Lappa puberis (Boreau)
• Arctium nemorosum subsp. tchihatchefii (Arènes)
• Arctium nemorosum subsp. pubens ((Bab.) Rothm.)
• Arctium minus var. corymbosum (Wiegand)
• Arctium minus f. laciniatum (Clute)
• Arctium minus f. leucocephalum (House)
• Arctium minus f. pallidum (Farw.)
• Bardana minor (Hill)
• Arctium lappa var. minus ((Hill) A.Gray)
• Arctium minus subsp. pubens ((Bab.) P.Fourn.)
• Arctium montanum (Schweigg. ex Steud.)
• Arctium lappa subsp. pubens ((Bab.) P.D.Sell)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Albania (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Altay (native)
• Austria (native)
• Azores (native)
• Baleares (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Corse (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Italy (native)
• Krym (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Madeira (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Alberta (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Brazil Northeast (introduced)
• Brazil South (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Manitoba (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Brunswick (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New South Wales (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• Newfoundland (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Primorye (introduced)
• Prince Edward I. (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)
• Victoria (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)

Additional Images

Fruit

Taken Jul 12, 2019 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 12, 2019 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 12, 2019 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 12, 2019 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 12, 2019 by Cruz Fer (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Aug 13, 2019 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 27, 2018 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 27, 2018 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 7, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jun 24, 2021 by Prieta Javier (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 11, 2020 by Llandrich anna (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 7, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 9, 2020 by Carine Gruet (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 31, 2020 by Jean GUY-COQUILLE (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Dec 5, 2022 by David Hocken (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 19, 2019 by Rodrigo Sainx (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 29, 2022 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 11, 2020 by Llandrich anna (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 24, 2021 by Prieta Javier (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Aug 19, 2019 by Mariken Lorie (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 24, 2019 by Ernst Wettstein (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 28, 2019 by Tarja Vermeer (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 26, 2019 by Jose Ignacio Murias (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 1, 2020 by Lejarazu Edorta (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Jul 18, 2019 by Chris Georges (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 26, 2021 by 🐞Hélène🐦 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 30, 2021 by 🐞Hélène🐦 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 10, 2020 by Peter Demuro (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 6, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Geneviève Botti (cc-by-sa)

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

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5393103)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:178406-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Arctium minus (Hill) Bernh.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.5

Ph minimum: 7.0

Light: 9

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Bloom months: [‘jul’, ‘aug’]

Soil nutriments: 8