Daucus carota  

Chromosome number is 2n=18 (Gleason and Cronquist 1991).

The basic chromosomal number of Daucus carota is 2n = 18 (Das and mallick, 1985; Subramanian, 1986; Krishnappa and Basappa, 1988; Dobeš et al., 1997).

Habit: Herb

This adventive biennial plant consists of a rosette of basal leaves during the first year, bolting upward during the second year to produce flowers and seeds. Mature second-year plants are about 2-3½' tall. The basal leaves are usually double pinnate with long petioles. In outline, they are up to 10" and 4" across (including the petioles), narrowing gradually toward their tips. Each compound leaf is subdivided into leaflets that are usually pinnate, while the secondary leaflets are entire, cleft, or coarsely toothed. The individual leaflets are rather narrow, providing the compound leaves with a lacy or fern-like appearance. Scattered white hairs often occur along the petioles, or along the margins and lower mid-veins of the leaflets. The round stems of bolting plants are finely ribbed and have scattered white hairs; they are hollow on the inside and branch sparingly. The compound leaves along the stems are alternate and have their petioles enclosed by sheaths. Otherwise, they are similar to the basal leaves in appearance. The flowering stalks are long and largely devoid of leaves, terminating in compound umbels of small white flowers. Each compound umbel has a whorl of green bracts at its base that are pinnatifid with linear segments. The flat-topped compound umbel is about 2-5" across and consists of about 30 umbellets. Each umbellet has a whorl of linear green bracts at its base and consists of about 30 flowers. While the flowers are blooming, their slender pedicels are often white or greenish white. Each flower consists of 5 white petals and 5 stamens, spanning about 1/8" across. However, the central flower of the central umbellet is often reddish purple. There are forms of Wild Carrot where all of the flowers are light pink, light purple, or reddish purple; the latter color is particularly rare. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer to early fall and lasts about 2 months. There is no noticeable floral scent, although the foliage has a slightly bitter carrot-like scent because of the presence of saponins and possibly other chemicals. Each flower produces a 2-seeded burry fruit about 1/8" long that is ovoid in shape. Each seed is flat on one side, but rounded on the other, and it has white bristly hairs along its ribs. The fruits are variable in color; they are initially light reddish purple, later becoming grayish brown. As the seeds become mature, the compound umbels start to close and assume a shape that is more or less spheroid. They can become detached from the flowering stalks and blow about in the wind. The root system consists of a stout taproot that is white and runs deep into the ground. This plant spreads by reseeding itself.