Arctium lappa
Dublin Core
Title
Arctium lappa
Subject
Taxonomy
Phylum : Tracheophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order : Asterales
Family : Asteraceae
Genus : Arctium
Species : Arctium lappa
Phylum : Tracheophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Order : Asterales
Family : Asteraceae
Genus : Arctium
Species : Arctium lappa
Synonyms
Arcion majus Bubani, Arcion tomentosum Bubani, Arctium adhaerens Gilib. [Invalid], Arctium bardana Willd., Arctium chaorum Klokov, Arctium grandiflorum Desf., Arctium lappa Willd. [Illegitimate] Arctium leiospermum Juz. & Ye.V.Serg. , Arctium majus (Gaertn.) Bernh. Arctium vulgare (Hill) Evan, Arctium vulgare (Hill) Druce, Bardana arctium Hill, Bardana lappa Hill, Lappa glabra Lam., Lappa major Gaertn., Lappa nemorosa (Lej.) Körn. ex Griewank, Lappa officinalis All., Lappa vulgaris Hill
Common name
Great burdock, edible burdock, beggar’s buttons
Description
Characteristics
A biennial, robust and much branched herb, 40—100(—210) cm tall when flowering; taproot up to 1.5 m long in the second year and brownish to weak yellowish-orange.
A biennial, robust and much branched herb, 40—100(—210) cm tall when flowering; taproot up to 1.5 m long in the second year and brownish to weak yellowish-orange.
Morphology
Leaves
Arranged in a rosette, cauline leaves alternate, simple, heart-shaped, up to 40—50 cm x 15—20 cm, margin irregularly undulate, upper surface glabrous, underneath covered with white hairs, petioles (5—)20—30 cm long and stipules absent.
Inflorescence
A head, one or more together in a lax terminal or axillary corymbose cyme, peduncle 2.5—20 cm long, involucre hemispherical, involucral bracts herbaceous, bright green, margin in the lower half membranaceous, with few to many glandular hairs, the upper part slightly recurved, straight or (slightly) hooked, the head thus becoming a burr and heads rounded about 3—4.5 cm x 2—3 cm.
Flowers
All tubular, more than 40, lobes 5, corolla 9.5—14.5 mm long, mostly purplish; stamens 5 and ovary inferior.
Fruit
An obovoid achene, 6—8 mm x 2.4—3.2 mm, angular and chestnut-brown in colour.
Seed
With epigeal germination, hypocotyl wrinkled and white, cotyledons large and rounded, epicotyl absent and first leaves growth are alternate.
Chemical compound
Polysaccharides (inulin), lignans ( arctigenin, diarctigenin, arctiin), flavones (luteolin), sesquiterpene lactones (arctiopicrin), polyynes trideca-1), phenolic acids and their derivatives (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid), triterpenes (alpha-amyrin), phytosterols (campesterol) and tannins.
Plant part used
Dried roots, ripe fruits and leaves.
Traditional uses
- When made in to a poultice, it is applied to the head to relieve headaches and also applied to sweat out rheumatism.
- A. lappa infusion was used as a diuretic, emetic and for various gastrointestinal complaints.
- The slightly fibrous mucilaginous roots have a sweetish taste and are consumed raw or cooked.
- The peeled tender petioles and young floral stalks are eaten less widely.
Medicinal uses
- It possesses heart stimulant, stomachic, anodyne, anti-scorbutic, antipyretic, laxative, diaphoretic, depurative, anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties.
- It is used for a great variety of diseases including furunculosis, suppurating abscesses, swellings, scrofulous gout, psoriasis, acne and prurigo, throat infections, pneumonia, chronic gastritis, scarlet fever, measles, small pox, rheumatism, vertigo, cancer, syphilis and baldness.
- The tincture from the fresh roots is used to treat pulmonary catarrh, rheumatism and gout.
- It is used to treat scurf or skin diseases of animals and to prevent hair loss in humans and animals.
List of country
Japan, China, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Hawaii, New Zealand and Europe.
Creator
Arctium lappa(Linnaeus,1753)
Source
Publisher
Nur Athirah Roshaizi
Contributor
Nur Athirah Roshaizi
Language
English
Collection
Citation
Arctium lappa(Linnaeus,1753), “Arctium lappa,” BIDARA, accessed February 4, 2026, https://bidara.uthm.edu.my/items/show/426.