Bishop's weed

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bullwort
• bishop's-weed
• false bishop's-weed
• greater ammi
• laceflower
• lady's-lace
• Bishop's Weed
• Queen Anne's Lace
• Large Bullwort

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Visnaga major

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Ammi majus, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, falling within the order Apiales. Finally, it is a member of the family Apiaceae and is placed in the genus Ammi.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Ammi majus, can be found across various regions of Northern Europe. Specifically, its presence has been documented in the coastal and inland areas of Denmark. It also grows within the diverse landscapes of Finland. Furthermore, the species is widely distributed throughout Great Britain. Finally, its geographical reach extends to the territories of Ireland and Norway.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ammi majus is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution and a high degree of adaptability to modified landscapes. This species thrives across an extensive elevational range, extending from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 3050 m AMSL. In terms of its preferred environment, it is frequently found in Área Antrópica (anthropic areas), indicating a strong tendency to colonize disturbed sites, agricultural lands, and locations influenced by human activity.

Elevational range max:

3050 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Ammi majus is characterized by its existence as an annual plant, meaning it completes its entire biological cycle—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. Functioning as a therophyte, the species survives unfavorable conditions by producing seeds that remain dormant until the following season, avoiding the need to maintain permanent above-ground structures. This life form is further defined by its deciduous nature, as the plant undergoes complete senescence and dies back once its reproductive phase is finished.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Ammi majus is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. It functions as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or a liana, maintaining an independent existence without being a parasite or an epiphyte; it is strictly a terrestrial species. The plant exhibits significant variability in stature, with a minimum height of 0.2 m, a maximum height of 1.7 m, and an average plant height of approximately 0.6475 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.7 m

Plant height mean:

0.6475 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ammi majus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a reliance on the standard Calvin cycle for carbon fixation. As a non-carnivorous organism, it derives its nutrients through soil absorption rather than capturing prey, and it does not function as a nitrogen fixer. The plant's foliar morphology features elliptic leaf forms that vary significantly in dimension, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 6 cm, while leaf widths fluctuate between 0.2 cm and 2 cm. On average, the leaf size is approximately 0.77667 cm², and the plant exhibits a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 344.43 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass per area and its strategy for light interception and resource management.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

6 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf size mean:

0.77667 cm²

Leaf width max:

2 cm

Leaf width min:

0.2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

344.43 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ammi majus is characterized by a sexual process involving bisexual flowers, with asexual reproduction being entirely absent. The plant produces white flowers arranged in an umbel inflorescence, which typically measures between 0.08 m and 0.14 m in length. The flowering period generally begins in April and concludes in July, though the timing can be variable. Pollination is a biotic process driven by insects, and the plant does not exhibit self-fertilization. Following successful pollination, the plant develops brown fruits that typically range from 0.07 cm to 0.13 cm in width and 0.15 cm to 0.27 cm in length, with a mean length of 0.1875 cm. These fruits are prolific, containing a high seed count ranging from 101 to 1000 seeds per fruit. The seeds themselves are quite small, with a mean mass of 0.000599 g (ranging from 0.0004 g to 0.00075 g). Regarding seed distribution, the plant utilizes an unspecialized dispersal syndrome, though it is also noted for being anthropochorous.

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

white

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit colour :

brown

Fruit length max:

0.27 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.1875 cm

Fruit length min:

0.15 cm

Fruit width max:

0.13 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.1 cm

Fruit width min:

0.07 cm

Inflorescence :

umbel

Inflorescence length max:

0.14 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.08 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.00075 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000599 g

Seed mass min:

4e-04 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ammi majus has 6 reported plant parts identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, fruit, leaf, flower, root.

Seed

1. Journal of plant research
2. Pharmacognosy magazine
3. Natural product research
4. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Fruit

1. Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde
2. Metabolites
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leaf

1. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
2. Journal of plant research
3. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety

Flower

1. Natural product research
2. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety

Root

1. Metabolites
2. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety

Stem

1. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety

Chemicals

Ammi majus has 77 reported phytochemicals identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include XANTHOTOXIN, Bergapten, Coumarins, Flavonoids, Isopimpinellin.

XANTHOTOXIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Metabolites

Bergapten

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pharmacognosy magazine

Coumarins

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Metabolites

Flavonoids

1. Metabolites
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Isopimpinellin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Oxypeucedanin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde

Xanthotoxol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biochemical genetics

khellin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research

methoxsalen

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmacognosy magazine

5-Hydroxymarmesin

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Ammi majus has 280 reported activities identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, ATPase-Inhibitor.

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldehyde-Oxidase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Ammi majus has 19 reported investigations on conditions identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include psoriasis, vitiligo, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus aureus, colon cancer.

Psoriasis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Archives of toxicology. Supplement. = Archiv fur Toxikologie. Supplement

Vitiligo

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde

Proteus vulgaris

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Colon cancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Corneal edema

1. American journal of veterinary research

Cutaneous t-cell lymphoma

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Kidney stones

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Leprosy

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Liver cancer

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Ammi majus has 5 reported preparations identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Ammi majus fruit, ethanol (EtOH), leaves, petroleum ether (PE), seed extracts extracted in sodium phosphate citrate buffer at pH (6.8).

Ammi majus fruit

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanol (etoh)

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Leaves

1. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition

Petroleum ether (pe)

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Seed extracts extracted in sodium phosphate citrate buffer at ph (6.8)

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences