Daucus carota L. subsp. carota

Spice Fruit detail Fruit Inflorescence

Family: UMBELLIFERAE (APIACEAE)

Genus: Daucus

Catalan common name: Botxes. Fonollassa. Pastanaga borda.

Spanish common name: Zanahoria silvestre.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera. Dragonera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Some regions

Uses and properties: Edible or foodstuffs.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hemicryptophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Path and road sides.

Characteristics: The wild carrot is very abundant along roadsides and in abandoned arable land. It forms a large, white umbel which produces fruits covered in small thorns; the umbel closes when bearing fruit. The whole plant is covered by hairs making it slightly rough to the touch. The root gives off an unmistakable aroma of carrot when peeled with a nail. The subsp. maximus can be distinguished because it has an umbel which is larger than 12cm. For the genus Daucus we have followed the nomenclature of J. Pujadas (2002) An. Jard. Bot. Madrid, 59 (2); 368-375.