Daucus carota - Wild carrot

Family: Apiaceae - Carrot ^[E-flora]

Habitat / Range: "Roadsides, fields and waste places in the lowland zone; common in SW BC, known from SE Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and adjacent mainland, also known from Vernon; introduced from Eurasia." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Origin Status: Exotic ^[E-flora]

"Daucus carota is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in) at a medium rate.
It is hardy to zone (UK) 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from Jun to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Flies, beetles.The plant is self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure." ^[PFAF]

"Wild carrot (a.k.a. Queen Anne's lace) is an introduced member of the Carrot Family (Apiaceae) that is native to Eurasia. It is found in North America in disturbed sites in most US states and several Canadian provinces (USDA 2010). In British Columbia, it is common in the southwestern corner of the province (SE Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and adjacent mainland) and is also found in the south-central region (including Kelowna, Vernon, and adjacent areas).
Wild carrot is a relatively small biennial species (up to 1m tall) with a well-developed taproot. It is summer flowering (July through to September in BC). The inflorescence is white (sometimes yellowish) and is comprised of numerous compact umbels of flowers, 3-7 cm wide. A conspicuous central purple or pink flower is often present. Leaves are bipinnate and fern-like in appearance. The root of this species smells like carrot." ^[E-flora]

• "General: Coarse biennial herb from a well-developed, whitish, bitter taproot, hairy throughout to nearly glabrous; stems single, 20-120 cm tall." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}
• "Leaves: Basal and stem leaves pinnately dissected with small, narrow ultimate segments, fernlike, with short stalks, the blades 5-15 cm long." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}
• "Flowers: Inflorescence of numerous, compound umbels with small compact heads; flowers white or yellowish (but the central flower of the umbel commonly purple or pink); involucral bracts with paper-like edges below; segments threadlike to awl-shaped." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}
• "Fruits: Egg-shaped, 3-4 mm long, ribbed and armed with barbed prickles along alternate ribs; inflorescence narrower in fruit than in flower, and with outer, longer spokes arching inwards, producing a "bird's nest" effect." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Notes: Wild carrot is considered an emerging invasive species by the Greater Vancouver Invasive Plant Council (2009). An emerging invasive is defined by them as: currently found in isolated, sparse populations but are rapidly expanding their range within the region. Wild carrot is the wild ancestor of the cultivated carrot (Pojar and MacKinnon 1994)." ^[E-flora]

Hazards

"Daucus has been reported to contain acetone, asarone, choline, ethanol, formic acid, HCN, isobutyric acid, limonene, malic acid, maltose, oxalic acid, palmitic acid, pyrrolidine, and quinic acid. Reviewing research on myristicin, which occurs in nutmeg, mace, black pepper, carrot seed, celery seed, and parsley, Buchanan (J. Food Safety 1: 275, 1979) noted that the psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties of mace, nutmeg, and purified myristicin have been studied. It has been hypothesized that myristicin and elemicin can be readily modified in the body to amphetamines. Handling carrot foliage, especially wet foliage, can cause irritation and vesication. Sensitized photosensitive persons may get an exact reproduction of the leaf on the skin by placing the leaf on the skin for awhile, followed by exposure to sunshine[269]." ^[PFAF] "The drug [Root] has a low potential for sensitization through skin contact." ^[PDR]

"Wild carrots cause dermatitis on contact with some people, especially when the plants are wet, but cultivated carrots will sometimes have the same effect." ^[Wildman] "Carrots sometimes cause allergic reactions in some people[46]. Skin contact with the sap is said to cause photo-sensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people[218]." ^[PFAF]

"Unfortunately, the wild carrot has deadly poisonous relatives that closely resemble it. Do not eat wild carrots until you've had extensive foraging experience. Stick to species with no poisonous lookalikes. People have confused car- rots with similar-looking poisonous plants and died or became paralyzed." ^[Wildman]

Edible Uses

"This plant was extensively used by the Indians. It has been reported that the roots of wild carrots are sweeter than their cultivated counterpart. We collected wild carrot roots in the latter part of July and found them tough and stringy, certainly not edible in the raw state. Perhaps if used in the spring, or if only the first-year plants were selected, this would be a good root food. D. pusillus was used in a similar fashion by the indians." ^[Wildman]
"Add the tender, young leaves or flowers to salads or soups. Use the leaves in stock, and saute the flowers. When the flower's petals fall off, the underlying ovaries enlarge into tiny seeds that look like hairy caraway seeds. The seed head, which resembles a bird's nest, persists through the winter and acts as a location marker. When the seeds are still slightly green, in late summer and early fall, you can collect them and use them as a seasoning. They taste like the seeds of caraway, a relative-excellent in breads, soups, and brown rice. The flavor is very strong, so a little goes a long way." ^[Wildman]

• Root
  • "Dried, roasted and ground or diced in small pieces, and brewed into a substitute for coffee. Cooked[55]. Thin and stringy[K]." ^[PFAF]
  • "The dried roasted roots are ground into a powder and are used for making coffee[183]." ^[PFAF]
    Wild carrots taste stronger than commercial carrots. They're chewier - a disadvantage in salads, but a plus in carrot cakes and carrot soups, where they retain a pleasant crunch, and more flavor." ^[Wildman]
    
  • Harvesting: "You may have to investigate many stands before you locate one with worthwhile roots. I find the largest carrots in sandy fields, especially near the seashore. The carrot's taproot is edible before the flower stalk appears. Collect from fall to early spring, when the plant stores food underground. By mid- spring, with no reserves, it becomes tough and woody. You can still cook it, but it comes out like cooked wood." ^[Wildman]
    
• Young Leaves
  • Tender, young carrot leaves are edible in the early spring and fall. I chop them finely and use them sparingly, since their flavor is very strong. ^[Wildman]
    
• Flower
  • You can also eat the flower, which blooms from summer to fall.^[Wildman] "The flower clusters can be french-fried to produce a carrot-flavoured gourmet's delight[183]." ^[PFAF]
    
• Seeds
  • Late summer to early fall. An excellent, very strong seasoning. Can be dried for storage.^[Wildman] "The aromatic seed is used as a flavouring in stews etc[55, 183]." ^[PFAF]
    

Other Uses

• Essential Oil
  • "... obtained from the seed. Has an orris-like scent[238]. It is used in perfumery and as a food flavouring[46, 238]. The oil has also been used cosmetically in anti-wrinkle creams[238]." ^[PFAF]

Essential oil, % dry wt: 0.24–0.28 [1]
(Aerial Part)Essential oil, % dry wt: 0.06–0.85 [1]
(Leaf)Essential oil, % dry wt: 0.065–0.13 [2]
Seed and Pericarp
Mass of 1,000, g: 0.6 [3], 0.5–0.8 ( 1), 0.8–3.2 ( 2) [4]
Oil, % dry wt: 27.2 [3], 16.3– 26.5 ( 1), 16.4–30.2 ( 2) [4]
Essential oil, % dry wt: 0.5–4.28 [2], 0.5–2.9 [1] ^[LLCEOPS]

Medicinal Uses

• Whole Plant
  • "Anthelmintic, carminative, deobstruent, diuretic, galactogogue, ophthalmic, stimulant[4, 7, 9, 13, 21, 165]. An infusion is used in the treatment of various complaints including digestive disorders, kidney and bladder diseases and in the treatment of dropsy[4, 238]. The plant is harvested in July and dried for later use. [213]" ^[PFAF]
• Leaves
  • "An infusion has been used to counter cystitis and kidney stone formation, and to diminish stones that have already formed[254]. Carrot leaves contain significant amounts of porphyrins, which stimulate the pituitary gland and lead to the release of increased levels of sex hormones[254]." ^[PFAF]
    
• Flowers
  • "A warm water infusion has been used in the treatment of diabetes[213]." ^[PFAF]
    
• Root
  • "Production: Wild Carrots are the roots of Daucus carota. The ripe roots are harvested." ^[PDR]
  • "Wild Carrot has anthelmintic and antimicrobial activity. It is also a mild vermifuge. The essential oil has an initially stimulating, followed by a paralyzing, effect on worms. In controlled animal tests, a temporary reduction of arterial blood pressure was observed. The pectin content is probably responsible for the severe constipating effect of the Carrot. The essential oil has a mild bactericidal effect, especially on gram-positive bacteria. The drug has a positive effect on visual acuity and scotopic (twilight) vision, as well as being a mild diuretic." ^[PDR]
  • "The grated raw root, especially of the cultivated forms, is used as a remedy for threadworms[213, 222, 254]. The root is also used to encourage delayed menstruation[213]. The root of the wild plant can induce uterine contractions and so should not be used by pregnant women[213]. A tea made from the roots is diuretic and has been used in the treatment of urinary stones[222]." ^[PFAF]
    "The grated roots were also used externally as a poultice for wounds, gangrene, and cancer. For all its benefits, the wild carrot has one failing. It's one of the few wild plants lacking a nutrient present in the commercial version. Wild carrots have no beta carotene, the precursor of vitamin A that helps prevent cancer. That's why wild carrot roots are white instead of orange." ^[Wildman]
  • "Unproven Uses: The Wild Carrot is an unreliable adjuvant in the treatment of oxyuriasis. It is a useful drug in pediatrics for tonsillitis, nutritional disorders and as a dietary agent for digestive disorders. It is also used in medicinal preparations for dermatological conditions such as photodermatosis and pigment anomalies. It is used in teas for intestinal parasites." ^[PDR]
  • "Mode of Administration: The drug is taken in a ground form or consumed as a juice or vegetable. It is found in readymade medicinal preparations." ^[PDR]
    
  • "Preparation: The Carrot is finely grated and made into a juice or syrup." ^[PDR]
    
• Seed
  • "Diuretic[213, 218], carminative, emmenagogue and anthelmintic[4, 218]. An infusion is used in the treatment of oedema, flatulent indigestion and menstrual problems[238]. The seed is a traditional 'morning after'contraceptive and there is some evidence to uphold this belief. It requires further investigation[222]. Carrot seeds can be abortifacient and so should not be used by pregnant women[254]." ^[PFAF]
    "The wild carrot is an aromatic herb that acts as a diuretic, soothes the digestive tract and stimulates the uterus[238]. A wonderfully cleansing medicine, it supports the liver, stimulates the flow of urine and the removal of waste by the kidneys[254]." ^[PFAF]
    
  • Tea: "A strong carrot-seed tea is a carminative and diuretic. It helps the kidneys get rid of excess water, and it's used for kidney stones and bladder disease. It's also been used for chronic coughs, dysentery, liver disease, and jaundice. Much of herbal lore proves correct in laboratory experiment, but not always. Carrot-seed tea is supposed to be an aphrodisiac. A lady friend and I proved that was just a myth: Only six out of ten cups of carrot-seed tea worked! A mixture of carrot leaves, lemon peel, and cornstarch was used as a surgical dressing by the Germans during World War II, when regular medical supplies were unavailable." ^[Wildman]

PFAF Guest Comments
"I use the wild carrot seed to prevent conception; however I also make sure that I practice cycle monitoring and "coitus interruptus" (pulling out) and have not had to try it for "emergency" use. It has worked for 2 years so far, since I began using it. I gathered the seeds in late august from a pasture in upstate NY. To prepare, I grind 2 or 3 pinches of seed with a mortar and pestle and pour hot water over for a tea. I then swallow the seeds on the bottom with the addition of more water. I take it for 1-3 days following sex. Internet sources advise dosing over a longer time period than this, though. I am not an herbalist or scientist, but I know from my own experience that it has been working for me." ^[PFAF]

Lore
"Contrary to what one might expect, the folk records on the whole carefully distinguish wild Daucus carota from the cultivated plants in this particular instance. This may be because the wild plant has been found to be the more efficacious for some ailments at least. The majority of uses reported show that it has been valued pre-eminently as a diuretic, for treating dropsy, gravel or kidney complaints (Dorset,¹³¹ Somerset,¹³² Berwickshire¹³³). As it was the fruitlets that were usually employed to that end (though a decoction of its rootstock was an alternative), that was presumably the unspecified function they have performed ‘medicinally’ in the Isle of Man as well.¹³⁴ More localised has been the making of a poultice from the mashed and boiled rootstocks for applying to wounds and malignant, especially cancerous sores: in Britain apparently confined to the Highlands,¹³⁵ where, mixed with oatmeal, it has been a favourite remedy for ‘lung disease’, too.¹³⁶ In Dorset, on the other hand, a traditional treatment for a burn has been to douche that in cold water first to stop the pain and then apply scrapings from the rootstock to prevent a blister forming and hasten the healing process.¹³⁷
Irish records for the diuretic uses come from Co. Dublin,¹³⁸ Cork¹³⁹ and Kerry,¹⁴⁰ while the carrot poultice just described has been applied to sores and wounds in Antrim,¹⁴¹ and in cases of earache in some part(s) of the country left unspecified.¹⁴²" ^[MPFT]

Root:
"Carotinoids: including alpha-, beta-, gamma-, zeta-carotene, lycopene
Volatile oil (very little): including among others p-cymene, limonene, dipenten, geraniol, alpha- and beta- caryophyllene
Polyynes: including falcarinol (carotatoxin) Mono and oligosaccharides: glucose, saccharose" ^[PDR]

Wild Carota – Daucus carota

Cultivation
"The wild carrot looks like its domestic counterpart. They're different strains of the same species. If you let garden carrots go to seed for a couple of generations, they'll soon revert to their wild form." ^[Wildman]

"Prefers a sunny position and a well-drained neutral to alkaline soil[24, 238]. A good plant for the summer meadow[24], it is a food plant for caterpillars of the Swallow-tail Butterfly[200]. This species is the parent of the cultivated carrot[200]. It can act as an alternative host for pests and diseases of the cultivated carrots. The plant has become a pest weed in N. America, where it is spreading rapidly and crowding out native vegetation[274]. The whole plant, when bruised, gives off an aniseed-like scent[245]." ^[PFAF]

(Mg)Magnesium and (K)Potassium dynamic accumulator. ^{[DynamicAccumulator]}

Propagation
"Seed - sow August/September or April in situ. The seed germinates better if it is given a period of cold stratification." ^[PFAF]

Synonyms

• Daucus carota subsp. carota ^[E-flora]
• Daucus carota subsp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang. ^[E-flora]

References

1. [E-flora] http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Daucus%20carota&redblue=Both&lifeform=7, Accessed April 30, 2015
2. [PFAF] http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Daucus+carota, Accessed May 1, 2015

Daucus Sp. - Carrot

"Annual, biennial, taprooted, hairy. Stem: decumbent or erect, generally ± branched. Leaf: blade oblong, pinnately dissected, segments linear to lanceolate. Inflorescence: umbels compound; bracts, bractlets generally present; bracts conspicuous, generally pinnately lobed; bractlets entire to toothed; rays generally many, spreading, in fruit incurved to form nest-like umbel. Flower: outer occasionally ± bilateral; calyx lobes 0 or evident; petals wide, white, margins occasionally ± red, tips narrowed, unequally 2-lobed. Fruit: oblong to ovate, compressed front-to-back; ribs 10, 1° thread-like, bristly, 2° winged, prickly; oil tubes 1 beneath each 2° rib; fruit axis entire or notched at tip.
± 20 species: America, Eurasia, northern Africa, Australia. (Greek: carrot) [Sáenz Laín 1980 Anales Jard Bot Madrid 37:481–533]" ^[Jepson]

Local Species;

1. Daucus carota - wild carrot ^[E-flora]
2. Daucus pusillus - American wild carrot ^[E-flora]

Key

1. Involucral bracts with paper-like edges below; leaf segments threadlike to awl-shaped; plants introduced, coarse biennials.................. D. carota
1. Involucral bracts without paper-like edges below; leaf segments linear or lanceolate, scarcely elongate; plants native, slender annuals..................... D. pusillus

Lomatium utriculatum (Nutt.) Coult. & Rose (possibly Daucus pusillus Michx.) ("wild carrot")

""Wild carrot" roots were eaten by the Kwakiutl, as they were by their Salish neighbours (Turner & Bell, 1971). Their botanical identity is still subject to question. Boas (1921) and Hunt (1922) applied the Kwakiutl terms to several umbelliferous species. Our informants, while they remembered eating the roots, had only vague recollections of what the plants were like. Lomatium utriculatum, one of plants specified by Hunt (op. cit. ), seems to fit the morphological and habitat description best.
The plants grew on grassy rocky points of land, particularly on the small offshore islands. They were marked when the leaves were above the ground, and they were dug the following spring before they had sprouted. The turf was peeled back with a yew wood digging stick, the larger carrot roots were picked out, and the turf was replaced. Cranmer (1969) states that the whitish roots were often eaten raw and that they were sweet and tasty, but according to Boas (1921), raw carrots had a strong taste and caused diarrhoea. The carrots were placed in a flat-bottomed small-meshed basket and cooked in a steaming pit lined with dry eelgrass and fern leaves. The pit was covered with old mats and the carrots were allowed to cook for several hours. They were eaten dipped in oil. Only the right hand could be used to eat them. One was allowed to drink water afterwards. In more recent times carrot roots were boiled in kettles (Boas, 1921)." ^{[Turner&Bell2]}

References

1. [Jepson] 2013. Daucus, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=10184, accessed on Jan 28 2015

Daucus pusillus - American wild carrot

Habitat / Range
"Dry rock outcrops and grassy sites in the lowland zone; locally common on SE Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and adjacent mainland; S to MO, SC, FL and MX." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Origin Status: Native ^[E-flora]

"Daucus pusillus is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 5 and is not frost tender. The seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Flies, beetles. The plant is self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure." ^[PFAF]

"General: Slender annual herb from a slender taproot; stems single, 50-70 (90) cm tall, stiff-hairy throughout." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Hazards

• Contact Dermatitis
  • "Skin contact with the sap is said to cause photo-sensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people[218]." ^[PFAF]

Edible Uses

• Root
  • "Raw or cooked [46, 61, 105, 161, 257]." ^[PFAF] The roots are eaten raw or boiled by the Navajos (10).^[Krochmal]
    "The Cowichan, Saanich, and probably other Island Salish groups ate wild carrot roots in large quantities (Paul, 1968), Plants were marked in the summer and dug in the following spring before the leaves came up. They were eaten raw or steamed in pits. The Saanich collected them at Bamberton before the cement works were built (Paul, 1968)."^{[Turner&Bell1]}
    

Medicinal Uses

Dried and smoked to treat paralysis caused by water on the brain; tea of the seeds drunk for sore throat. [0]^[Ethchumash]

• Whole Plant
  • The whole plant is antipruritic, blood purifier and febrifuge[257]." ^[PFAF]
    
  • Decocion: "A decoction has been used to treat colds, itches, fevers and snakebites[257].." ^[PFAF] Decoction taken internally for snakebite, itching, fever, to clean the blood, or in early stages of a cold. (1)[EthCostanoan]
    
  • "Poultice: A poultice of the chewed plant has been applied to snakebites [257]." ^[PFAF]

Phytochemicals

Seed and Pericarp
Mass of 1,000, g: 1.0 ( 1), 1.7 ( 2) [1]
Oil, % dry wt: 22.7 ( 1), 22.0 ( 2) [1]
Iodine value, % J2: 117.0 ( 1), 116.0 ( 2) [1]
FAs
Composition (GLC, Ag+ TLC), %: 16:0 – 4.3; 18:0 – 1.5; 18:1(6) – 70.6; 18:1(9) – 9.6; 18:2 – 13.4; 18:3 – 0.1; others (3) – 0.3 ( 1); 16:0 – 4.2; 18:0 – 0.2; 18:1(6) – 80.1; 18:1(9) – 4.3; 18:2 – 10.8; others (1) – 0.1 ( 2) [1]
Seed and Part of Pericarp
Mass of 1,000, g: 0.8 [2]
Oil, % dry wt: 27.1 [2] ^[LLCEOPS]

Cultivation
"We have very little information on this plant, but it can be grown outdoors at least in southern Britain and probably in the north as well. It is likely to need a well-drained soil in a sunny position[K]." ^[PFAF]

Propagation
"Seed - sow August/September or April in situ. The seed germinates better if it is cold stratified, therefore the autumn sowing is liable to be more successful." ^[PFAF]

References

1. [E-flora] http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Daucus%20pusillus&redblue=Both&lifeform=7, Accessed May 1, 2015
2. [Krochmal] Useful Native Plants in the American Southwestern Deserts, A. KROCHMAL, S. PAUR ANYP. DUISBERG, Economic Botany
3. [PFAF] http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Daucus+pusillus, Accessed May 1, 2015