Arctium minus | |
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Flower heads (capitula) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Arctium |
Species: | A. minus
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Binomial name | |
Arctium minus | |
Synonyms[1] | |
Synonymy
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Arctium minus, commonly known as lesser burdock,[2] little burdock, louse-bur, common burdock,[3] button-bur, cuckoo-button,[3] or wild rhubarb,[4] is a biennial plant. This plant is native to Europe,[5] but has become introduced elsewhere such as Australia, North and South America, and other places.[6][7][8][9]
Lesser burdock produces purple flowers in its second year of growth, from July to October. Outer bracts end in hooks that are like hook-and-loop. After the flower head dries, the hooked bracts will attach to humans and animals to transport the entire seedhead.[10]