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Arctium
Arctium is a genus of biennial plants commonly known as burdock, family Asteraceae. Native to Europe and Asia, several species have been widely introduced worldwide. Burdock's clinging properties, in addition to providing an excellent mechanism for seed dispersal, led to the invention of the hook-and-loop fastener.
Plants of the genus Arctium have dark green leaves that can grow up to 70 centimetres (28 inches) long. They are generally large, coarse, and ovate, with the lower ones being heart-shaped. They are woolly underneath. The leafstalks are generally hollow. Arctium species generally flower from July through October. Burdock flowers provide essential pollen and nectar for honeybees around August, when clover is on the wane and before the goldenrod starts to bloom.
In 1753, the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus established genus Arctium by recognizing two species: Arctium lappa and Arctium personata. The type specimen Arctium lappa was collected from a cultivated waste area in Europe ("habitat in Europae cultis ruderatis"). As of August 2025[update], the name Arctium personata is a synonym for Carduus personata.
A large number of species have been placed in genus Arctium at one time or another, but most of them are now classified in the related genus Cousinia. The precise limits between Arctium and Cousinia are hard to define; there is an exact relation between their molecular phylogeny. The burdocks are sometimes confused with the cockleburs (genus Xanthium) and rhubarb (genus Rheum).
The following species are accepted:
Botanists disagree about the number of taxa introduced into North America but most authorities accept at least the following three species: Arctium lappa, Arctium minus, and Arctium tomentosum. The influential Flora of North America and others accept only those three species. In addition to three species, some authorities accept one or more hybrids. The United States Department of Agriculture accepts a fourth species, Arctium vulgare.
Circa 16th century, from bur + dock, the latter meaning sorrel of the genus Rumex.
All Arctium species are native to Europe and/or Asia but several species have been widely introduced. In Eurasia, native Arctium species range from Greenland to Siberia in the north, and from Macaronesia to Peninsular Malaysia in the south. Two species are native to China.
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Arctium
Arctium is a genus of biennial plants commonly known as burdock, family Asteraceae. Native to Europe and Asia, several species have been widely introduced worldwide. Burdock's clinging properties, in addition to providing an excellent mechanism for seed dispersal, led to the invention of the hook-and-loop fastener.
Plants of the genus Arctium have dark green leaves that can grow up to 70 centimetres (28 inches) long. They are generally large, coarse, and ovate, with the lower ones being heart-shaped. They are woolly underneath. The leafstalks are generally hollow. Arctium species generally flower from July through October. Burdock flowers provide essential pollen and nectar for honeybees around August, when clover is on the wane and before the goldenrod starts to bloom.
In 1753, the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus established genus Arctium by recognizing two species: Arctium lappa and Arctium personata. The type specimen Arctium lappa was collected from a cultivated waste area in Europe ("habitat in Europae cultis ruderatis"). As of August 2025[update], the name Arctium personata is a synonym for Carduus personata.
A large number of species have been placed in genus Arctium at one time or another, but most of them are now classified in the related genus Cousinia. The precise limits between Arctium and Cousinia are hard to define; there is an exact relation between their molecular phylogeny. The burdocks are sometimes confused with the cockleburs (genus Xanthium) and rhubarb (genus Rheum).
The following species are accepted:
Botanists disagree about the number of taxa introduced into North America but most authorities accept at least the following three species: Arctium lappa, Arctium minus, and Arctium tomentosum. The influential Flora of North America and others accept only those three species. In addition to three species, some authorities accept one or more hybrids. The United States Department of Agriculture accepts a fourth species, Arctium vulgare.
Circa 16th century, from bur + dock, the latter meaning sorrel of the genus Rumex.
All Arctium species are native to Europe and/or Asia but several species have been widely introduced. In Eurasia, native Arctium species range from Greenland to Siberia in the north, and from Macaronesia to Peninsular Malaysia in the south. Two species are native to China.