Greater Burdock - Arctium lappa
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Species Description
Widespread and fairly frequent in the South; scattered in the North. Habitat includes: Disturbed places such as stream-sides, river banks, roadside verges, tracks / waysides, field-borders, wasteland etc. Growing habit: Monocarpic (dies once seed is set) Perennial. Height: Up to 2 m. Flowers: July to September.
Stace 4:
Arctium lappa L. (A. vulgare (Hill) Druce) - Greater Burdock. Stems erect, well branched, to 2m; capitula of main branches in corymbose clusters, 20-33 x 24-47mm, glabrous to sparsely hairy; peduncles 2.5-26cm; phyllaries exceeding corolla by 1-5mm; middle phyllaries 0.9-1.7mm wides; corolla glabrous or glandular-hairy distally; 2n=36. Archaeophyte-denizen; waysides, field-boarders, riversides, wood-clearings, waste places; rather scattered in South and Central Britain, Rare in East Ireland.
Key:
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Inner phyllaries not constricted above middle, gradually tapered towards apex; capitulum glabrous to densely (but not spidery-) hairy
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Petiole of basal leaves solid throughout; capitula forming more or less corymbose clusters on each main branch; capitula on distal part of each main branch with peduncles ≥2.5cm