rough cocklebur

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• rough cocklebur
• Cocklebur
• California-bur
• Canada cocklebur
• Noogoora-bur
• Siberian cocklebur
• ditchbur
• large cocklebur
• Borad Cocklebur
• Bur Weed
• Noogoora burr
• common cocklebur
• porcupine eggs
• rough cockleburr

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Xanthium brasilicum
• Xanthium strumarium subsp. brasilicum
• Xanthium mongolicum
• Xanthium strumarium var. indicum
• Xanthium natalense
• Xanthium strumarium var. japonicum
• Xanthium sibiricum var. jingyuanense
• Xanthium strumarium var. inaequilaterum
• Xanthium sibiricum var. subinerme
• Xanthium strumarium var. subinerme
• Xanthium strumarium subsp. sibiricum
• Xanthium pungens var. globuliforme
• Xanthium inaequilaterum
• Xanthium strumarium var. brasilicum
• Xanthium indicum var. inaequilaterum
• Xanthium abyssinicum
• Xanthium antiquorum
• Xanthium arenarium
• Xanthium strumarium subsp. strumarium
• Xanthium indicum
• Xanthium japonicum
• Xanthium sibiricum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known as Xanthium strumarium, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae within the order Asterales. Finally, it is a member of the family Asteraceae and falls under the genus Xanthium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad presence across several regions within the European continent. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward the central part of the continent, the species is also established in Middle Europe. Specifically, it is documented in countries such as Austria and Belgium. Additionally, its geographical reach extends through the Middle Europe region of Czechia-Slovakia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Xanthium strumarium is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) to a maximum elevation of 2600 m AMSL. It maintains a mean elevational presence of approximately 1000 m AMSL, demonstrating significant adaptive capacity to varying topographic conditions. This species is primarily found in anthropogenic habitats (Área Antrópica), where it successfully colonizes environments modified or influenced by human activity.

Elevational range max:

2600 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Xanthium strumarium are characterized by a specific chromosomal configuration that underpins its biological complexity and adaptive capabilities. The species possesses a chromosome number of 36, providing a stable genomic framework for its various phenotypic expressions. Furthermore, the plant operates at a diploid ploidy level of 2, indicating that its cells contain two complete sets of chromosomes. This genetic structure facilitates the inheritance patterns and evolutionary stability observed within the species.

Chromosome number :

36

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Xanthium strumarium is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process from germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it survives unfavorable environmental conditions by producing seeds that remain dormant until the following season, rather than maintaining persistent vegetative structures. This life form is strictly deciduous, shedding its foliage as it reaches the end of its seasonal cycle to focus resources on reproductive output.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Xanthium strumarium is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. As a self-supporting plant, it does not function as a climber or a liana, nor does it exhibit parasitic behavior, remaining an independent organism. It is a terrestrial species, lacking aquatic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variability in height, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 2 m, maintaining a mean plant height of approximately 0.515 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

0.515 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Xanthium strumarium is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and environmental adaptations. The plant's foliage exhibits significant morphological variation, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 8 cm, and leaf widths spanning from 1.5 cm to 10 cm. These leaves possess a trilobate form with dissected margins and are notably devoid of both thorns and spines. The leaf surface area is substantial, maintaining a mean leaf size of approximately 47.58836 cm², while the Specific Leaf Area (SLA) has a mean value of 197.13 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass per area and its strategy for light interception and resource allocation.

Leaf form :

trilobate

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf margin :

dissected

Leaf size mean:

47.58836 cm²

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

10 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

197.13 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Xanthium strumarium is characterized by a bisexual sexual reproductive system where self-fertilization is notably absent. The flowering period typically commences in July and extends through November. Pollination is facilitated through abiotic mechanisms, specifically utilizing an insect pollination syndrome. The resulting fruit is classified as an indehiscent achene, which varies in size with a mean length of 2 cm (ranging from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 3.5 cm) and a mean width of 1.4 cm. Each fruit is prolific, containing between 11 and 100 seeds. These seeds exhibit a mean mass of approximately 0.174 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.0434 g to a maximum of 0.51551 g. For dispersal, the plant employs a zoochorous strategy, specifically utilizing epizoochory to spread its seeds via animals.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Nov

Fruit length max:

3.5 cm

Fruit length mean:

2 cm

Fruit length min:

1.5 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Fruit width mean:

1.4 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.51551 g

Seed mass mean:

0.174041111 g

Seed mass min:

0.0434 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

11-100

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Xanthium strumarium has 5 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 leaf, fruit, root, seed, flower.

Leaf

1. International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology
2. Parasitology research
3. BMC veterinary research
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Current microbiology

Fruit

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Fitoterapia
3. Natural product research
4. Toxins

Root

1. Journal of natural products
2. Natural product research
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Seed

1. International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology
2. Archives of toxicology

Flower

1. Folia microbiologica

Chemicals

Xanthium strumarium has 56 reported phytochemicals identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Xanthatin, Flavonoid, Glycosides, Saponins.

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)

Xanthatin

1. Frontiers in pharmacology
2. PloS one
3. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Flavonoid

1. Helicobacter
2. Turkish journal of biology = Turk biyoloji dergisi

Glycosides

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)

Saponins

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)

Steroids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)

Tannins

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)

scopoletin

1. Natural product research
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

(-)-Caryophyllene oxide

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

(2s)-butylitaconic acid

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Xanthium strumarium has 6 reported activities identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Anticancer, Insecticide.

Antibacterial

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Natural product research

Antimicrobial

1. Folia microbiologica
2. Turkish journal of biology = Turk biyoloji dergisi

Antioxidant

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Turkish journal of biology = Turk biyoloji dergisi

Anticancer

1. Turkish journal of biology = Turk biyoloji dergisi

Insecticide

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Phototoxic

1. Annals of dermatology

Conditions

Xanthium strumarium has 32 reported investigations on conditions identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include allergic rhinitis, arthritis, bacterial infections, headache, rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis

1. Computers in biology and medicine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Arthritis

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Bacterial infections

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Headache

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Rhinitis

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Urticaria

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aspergillus niger

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Bacillus subtilis

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Candida albicans

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Klebsiella pneumoniae

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Xanthium strumarium has 21 reported preparations identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Crude extract, Fruit Extract, acetone extract, aerial parts, aqueous-ethanol extract.

Crude extract

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Fruit extract

1. Toxins

Acetone extract

1. Turkish journal of biology = Turk biyoloji dergisi

Aerial parts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous-ethanol extract

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Biomass

1. Frontiers in plant science

Chloroform fraction

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Crude extract

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Essential oils

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Ethanol extracts

1. Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition)