Arctium minus subsp. minus
Common name
burdock
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Terrestrial. Forest margins, waste places, roadsides, creek beds.
Features
Large biennial herb usually 1-1.5 m tall. Stems grooved and with sparse hairs. Basal leaves deltoid up to 40 x 30 cm, green above and white and densely felty beneath, on hollow petioles. Upper leaves similar to lower but becoming smaller. Inflorescence a raceme of small reddish purple flowers, with green bracts. Seed 5-7 mm long with pappus attached.
Similar taxa
Can be distinguished from the very similar A. lappa by the hollow petioles/.
Flowering
January, February, March, April
Flower colours
Red/Pink, Violet/Purple
Fruiting
February, March, April, May
Year naturalised
1894
Origin
Europe, W. Asia
Etymology
minus: Small; from the Latin minor
Reason For Introduction
Accidental
Reproduction
reproduces from seed.
Seed
many seeds are produced
Dispersal
Wind, water, people
Tolerances
Moderately shade tolerant.