Daucus carota (L) Wild Carrot
NOMENCLATURE
Daucus: from Greek daukos (or dais) : to burn.
carrot : 1530s, from Middle French carrotte, from Latin carota, from Greek karoton "carrot," from Proto Indo-European *kre-, from root *ker- "horn, head," so called for its horn-like shape.
OTHER NAMES: philtron, sisaron, staphylinos, elaphobosum, (Greek). Bees nest, kexs,
(Som). Cax, (Dor). Bird’s nest, (Sam, Wilts, War, Yks,Scot). Fiddle, (Lincs). Crow’s nest,
(Beds), Eltrot, CHants). Curran-petris, (Scot). Keggas, pigs parsley, (Corn). Carote, (France).
Carcta, (Italy). Zanahoria, (Spain). Karotte, mohre, (German). Peen, wortel, (Dutch). Karot,
gulerod, (Danish). Karoto, (Greek). Morkov, (Russia). Korenje, (Yug).
BSBI Picture Link to Daucus carota
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE : >or< hispid annual/biennial, 30-100cm. Hs. ROOTS: small spindle shaped,
whitish, slender,aromatic, acrid, disagreeable taste.
STEMS : solid, striate or ridged with dense patent to deflexed hairs.
UMBELS : 3~7cm diameter, compound. Rays numerous, unequal, hairy, 1-5cm.
Peduncle longer than rays, hairy. Outer partial umbels 3-fid.
LEAVES : fern like long stalks, broad basal sheaths, downy underneath. 2-3 pinnatifid
segments, pinnatifid lobes, 0.5-3cm, lanceolate to ovate & acuminate to obtuse,
hairy. Petiole of lower leaves slender, upper sheathing not expanded.
COTYLEDONS : tapered gradually at base, no petiole.
BRACTS : 7-13, equalling pedicels. 3-fid or pinnatifid, conspicious, the margins broadly
scarious. Bracteoles 7~1O; linear lanceolate, entirely scarious, ciliate -
FLOWER : white, the central one of the umbel usually red or purple. Very small, terminal,
leaf opposed, compound. Sepals triangular. Outer petals somewhat radiating; Calyx teeth small or
0, petals notched with turned up tip. Stamen longer than petals. Ovary clothed with bristly-hairs,
unequal. Polliiation by short tounged flies, wasps, betties. Fl. 6-8.
FRUIT : 2-4 mm .oblong, ovoid, carpels convex. Dorsally compressed. Commisure
wide. Mericarps: ciliate primary ridges, 5, the 2nd, 4, stouter, more prominent, spiny, spines
flattened, smooth, glochidiate. Vittae solitary under each 2nd ridge. Styles 3-4 x > than
stylopodium, divergent, stigma capitate. 2n=18*
HABITAT : pastures, & hedgerows, downs, cliffs,
dry meadows, field margins. Light sandy loams.
DISTRIBUTION : native. Britain, coastal Scotland.
BSBI Distribution Map for Daucus carota (UK)
SUBSPECIES : Subsp. sativus. Subsp. gummifer.
MEDICINAL USES
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS : essential oils; pectins, abundant provitamin A, B1 +C, lecithin,
starch, extractine gluten, aibumen, malic acid, carotin, volatile oil. 8% water, sugar
EFFECT : diuretic. Soothes digestive tract, stimulates uterus.
PARTS : whole plant.
APPLICATION : infusion for urinary stones, cystitis, gout, oedema, flatulent indegistion,
menstrual problems. Nervous / physical exhaustion, dropsy, internal inflammation, worms :
freshly grated for juice, over time. Powder for babies & children's diarrhoea.
HISTORICAL MEDICINAL USES
Diuretic, stimulant, ,eobstruent. Dropsy, chronic kidney disease, bladder-infection: Infusion,
1oz roots night and day. Flatulance gravel, stone : strong decoction; Worms~ gratted roots
for kids. Diarrhoea : Root powder for babies. Windy: colic, hicough, dysentry; chronic
obstructions of viscera, jaundice, emmenagouge, in beginning of dropsies: seeds bruised; one tspn
night and day. Cancerous ulcers: Root poultice mitigates. Sores and Ulcers: leaves applied in
honey. Aperient: infusion, of root. Small purple flower: epilepsy. Flowers boiled in wine as
love philtre: helped contraception.
EDIBLE USES
Coffee substitute from roasted roots. Adds an aggreable flavour to malt
liquor, if infused in the vat. Fed to livestock.
Subsp. sativus (Hoffm) Arcangeli, the cultivated carrot has a fleshy tap root, important
food crop, eaten raw, grated or as veg, in salads, soups, stews, marinades for fish. Pureed
for invalid & baby food. Juice blended with citrus for mixed fruit juice. Fed to livestock.
First cultivated in Elizabeth I.
Carrot jam using Subsp. sativus wash, grate, boil roots to a pulp, add 3oz sugar to lib pulp,
juice & rind of two lemons, 3oz margarine, boil for 1 hour, bottle.
GARDEN USES
Light warm soil, deep manured. Seed March.
OTHER USES
Oil used in perfumes, flavourings, anti-wrinkle cream.
FOLKLORE
Originally white-rooted and a medicinal plant to the ancients, who used it as an aphrodisiac and to prevent poisoning. Not entirely distinguished from parsnips in ancient times. Reintroduced in Europe by Arabs c.1100. The orange carrot, perhaps as early as 6c., probably began as a mutation of the Asian purple carrot and was cultivated into the modern edible plant 16c.-17c. in the Netherlands. Planted as a garden vegetable by 1609 by Jamestown colonists. In James I time it was fashion for ladies to wear feathery leaves in head dress. "Queen Anne, Queen Anne, has washed her lace (She chose a summer's day) And hung it in a grassy place To whiten, if it may. Queen Anne, Queen Anne, has left it there, And slept the dewy night; Then waked, to find the sunshine fair, And all the meadows white. Queen Anne, Queen Anne, is dead and gone (She died a summer's day), But left her lace to whiten in Each weed-entangled way!" Mary Leslie Newton Plant of Mercury.
EXTERNAL LINKS FOR Daucus carota
These links to trusted websites and institutions may provide in depth or additional information regards cultivation, chemistry, edibility, images etc. for the species. Links last updated Aug 2012. (some crossover info with cultivated carrot)
Wikipedia (EU) Plants For a Future (UK)
Nature Gate (FIN)
Bio Info (UK) National Center for Biotechnology Info (USA)
Center for New Crops & Plant Products (USA)
History of the Carrot (Blog) (USA)
Microscopy (UK)
Bio Images (UK) APHOTOFLORA Images (UK)
Sister Zeus - Women's Fertility (USA)
Food & Agri Org of UN A Modern Herbal. M. Grieve (UK)
Medicinal Herb Info (USA)
'Online Guide To Umbelliferae Of The British Isles' Compiled By J.M.Burton 2002
