Roan Blakeley Lab 2 - Common Burdock

One of my observed species was the Arctium minus, or the Common Burdock. The phylogeny for the Common Burdock starts at Eukaryotes, then plants, then the order Asterales, then the family Asteraceae, and then the genus Arctium. The Arctium genus consists of differing species of Burdocks, which are native to Asia and Europe, but have spread across the world, including to North America.

All of the plants I observed have flat leaves, and the majority of the leaves have a broad surface area. Flat leaves help plants retain water, and broad leaves allow the most sunlight possible to be consumed by the plant, which is vital for life. Most of the plants I observed were shrubs and weeds that grow close to the ground, in an area with many taller plants and trees that block sunlight and create competition for water. The plants I observed adapted through the shape of their leaves to collect and retain as many nutrients as possible.

Burdock plants themselves have a unique adaptation. All plants in the genus Arctium have burrs, which have a hook and loop mechanism to attach to other organisms. This works well for spreading seeds, as burrs become attached to other organisms which then carry the burr with them.

Posted on 21 de setembro de 2021, 03:02 PM by roanblakeley