Burdock.Arctium Lappa.
Found, during August and September, along roads and in barren fields.
The stalk branches much, and is very leafy, with a bushy habit of growth, between 2 and 4 feet in height; it is large, stout-fibred, round, grooved, and rough to the touch. The color is light green, showing the red-purple tints of the flowers in streaks, especially at the junction of the stems.
The leaf is very large; the foot-leaves (often over 12 inches long) are rudely heart-shaped, and much puckered or fulled on the midrib, the upper leaves are smaller, and oval; the ribs show underneath in bold relief, the veins being like a strong network; the margin is entire, the texture coarse, and the surface rough. The color is gray-green, lighter underneath, while the midrib is pink above, and paler beneath. The leaves are set on stout, trough-like, reddish stems, which clasp the stalk; the arrangement is alternate.
The flower is very small and silky, crowded into a soft tuft, enclosed in an urn-shaped burr, which is armed with row upon row of sharp out-spreading spines, long, hooked, and sticky. The color of the heads varies, from nearly white, to a deep rose-purple, or blue-purple; the burr is green, or purple. The heads are set on short stems in irregular terminal groups, or on the short branches.
As the flowers mature thread-like white pistils push forth; they open first on the rim of the head. Ranking a pest among flowers, the Burdock is loved by children for its sticky burrs from which they fashion variegated toys. Designers would do well to study its bold finely arching leaves. “So if you please we will take a leaf of burdock, the principal business of that plant being clearly to grow leaves, wherewith to adorn foregrounds.”—-Ruskin.