Daucus carota

Daucus carota, whosecommon namesincludewild carrot,European wild carrot,bird's nest,bishop's lace, andQueen Anne's lace(North America), is aflowering plantin the familyApiaceae. It is native totemperate regionsof theOld Worldand wasnaturalizedin theNew World.
Domesticatedcarrotsarecultivarsof a subspecies,Daucus carotasubsp.sativus.
The wild carrot is aherbaceous, somewhat variablebiennial plantthat grows between 30 and 120 cm (1 and 4 ft) tall,and is roughly hairy, with a stiff, solidstem. The leaves aretripinnate, finely divided and lacy, and overall triangular in shape. The leaves are 5–15 cm (2–6 in) long,bristly and alternate in apinnatepattern that separates into thin segments. The flowers are small and dull white, clustered in flat, denseumbels. The umbels are terminal and about 8–15 cm (3–6 in) wide.They may be pink in bud and may have a reddish or purpleflower (the "ruby") in the centre of the umbel. The lowerbractsare three-forked or pinnate, which distinguishes the plant from other white-floweredumbellifers. As the seeds develop, the umbel curls up at the edges, becomes more congested, and develops a concave surface. The fruits are small, dry, bumpy, oval and flattened, with shortstylesand hooked spines, as well as protective hairs surrounding it.The fruit has two mericarps, orbicarpellate. Theendospermof the fruit grows before theembryo.The dried umbels detach from the plant, becomingtumbleweeds.The function of the tiny red flower, coloured byanthocyanin, is to attract insects. The flowers bloom from May to September.
Similar in appearance to the deadlypoison hemlock,D.carotais distinguished by a mix oftripinnateleaves, fine hairs on its solid green stems and on its leaves, a root that smells like carrots, and occasionally a single dark red flower in the center of the umbel.Hemlock is also different in tending to have purple mottling on its stems, which also lack the hairiness of the plain green Queen Anne's lace (wild carrot) stems.Both plants have been spread intoNorth Americaby European settlers and have become common wildflowers;Daucus carotais often known as Queen Anne's lace there.Anne, Queen of Great Britainis the Queen Anne for whom the plant is named.It is so called because theinflorescenceresembleslace, prominent in fine clothing of the day; the red flower in the center is said to represent a droplet of blood where Queen Anne pricked herself with a needle when she was making the lace.
The function of the central dark floret ofD. carotahas been subject to debate sinceCharles Darwinspeculated that they are a vestigial trait.It has been suggested that they have the adaptive function of mimicking insects, thus either discouraging herbivory,or attracting pollinatorsby indicating the presence of food or opportunities for mating.One study in Portugal found that the dark florets contributed to visitation by the varied carpet beetle,Anthrenus verbasci, and that higher numbers of dark florets correlated with increased visitation, whereas inflorescences without dark florets had fewer visits. Replacing the dark florets with one or more freeze-killedA. verbasci,who are similar to the florets in size and shape produced similar results to those observations of inflorescences with intact florets.
The carrot was first officiallydescribedbyCarl Linnaeusin his 1753 workSpecies Plantarum.In 2016, an international team sequenced the full genome ofDaucus carota.
Cultivated carrot's only parent isDaucus carota.
Both domestic and wild carrot are from the same species,Daucus carotaL. There are several subspecies ofD. carotathat have evolved to differentclimatesand atmospheres. Two examples of these subspecies are specifically from theNetherlands.D. carotasubsp.sativushas roots that can be a wide range of colors. It has a thicker root and sweeter taste. Thewhorlof barbs above the spine on the vallecular ridges of themericarpofD. carotasubsp.sativusmature very well.D. carotasubsp.carotahas white roots that do not vary in color and, unlikeD. carotasubsp.sativus, has a thin root, bitter taste and are not edible. The middle umbellet ofD. carotasubsp.carotais not well developed (unlike inD. carotasubsp.sativus) and the color of the flower can vary from red to deep purple.
The following subtaxa are accepted:
Native totemperate regionsof Europeandsouthwest Asia, the plant was spread to North America and Australia.
The plant is commonly found along roadsides and in unused fields. It thrives best in sun to partial shade.
Skin contact with the foliage ofDaucus carota, especially wet foliage, can causeskin irritationin some people.It may also have a mild effect on horses.
The compoundfalcarinolis naturally found inDaucus carotafor protection against fungal diseases. Lab tests show the compound to be toxic tomiceand the water fleaDaphnia magna.Normal consumption of carrots has no toxic effect in humans.
Like the cultivated carrot, theD. carotaroot is edible while young, but it quickly becomes too woody to consume.The flowers are sometimes battered and fried. The leaves and seeds are also edible.
D. carotabears a close resemblance to poison hemlock, and the leaves of the wild carrot may causephytophotodermatitis,so caution should also be used when handling the plant. The seeds and flowers have been used as a supposed method ofcontraceptionand anabortifacientfor centuries, but scientific research has not confirmed any such effects and there is no evidence of safety.If used as adyestuff, the flowers give a creamy, off-white color.
D. carota, when freshly cut, will draw or change color depending on the color of the water in which it is held. This effect is only visible on the "head" or flower of the plant.Carnationsalso exhibit this effect. This occurrence is a popular science demonstration in grade school.
Thisbeneficial weedcan be used as acompanion plantto crops. Like most members of the umbellifer family, it attractswaspsto its small flowers in its native land; however, where it has been introduced, it attracts very few wasps. In northeast Wisconsin, when introduced with blueberries it did succeed in attracting butterflies and wasps.This species is also documented to boosttomatoplant production when kept nearby, and it can provide amicroclimateof cooler, moister air forlettuce, whenintercroppedwith it.However, the states of Iowa, Michigan, and Washington have listed it as anoxious weed,and it is considered a serious pest in pastures. It persists in thesoil seed bankfor two to five years.
Several different factors can cause the root of a carrot to have abnormalmetabolites(notably6-methoxymellin) that can cause a bitter taste in the roots. For example, carrots have a bitterer taste when grown in the presence ofapples. Also,ethylenecan easily produce stress, causing a bitter taste.
The history ofDaucus carotaand its cultivation in different parts of the world can be traced back through historical texts and artwork. Paintings from the 16th and 17th century, for example, that are of maids in a market or farmers' most recent crops can provide information on carrots' history. Studying such paintings shows that yellow or red roots were cultivated inTurkey,North Africa, andSpain.Orangeroots were cultivated in 17th centuryNetherlands.
"Queen Anne's Lace" is the title and subject of a poem byWilliam Carlos Williamspublished in the 1921 collection titledSour Grapes.