Chondrilla juncea L. Rush Skeletonweed

Chondrilla juncea L. - Rush Skeletonweed

Scientific Description:

Glaucous biennial or perennial with a woody base and stiff slender ascending branches. Phyllaries without rigid hairs on midrib. Stems 40−100 cm, lower part usually tomentose, with rigid, often retrorse hairs. Leaves ± glabrous; basal lanceolate to elliptic, entire or denticulate to pinnatifid, soon withering; cauline leaves smaller, upper usually long-linear. Phyllaries white-tomentose, with or without rigid hairs on midrib; midrib glabrous, thickening with age; innermost phyllaries with scarious margin. Achenes c. 3 mm, pale yellowish-brown; beak 4−5 mm, slender, not articulated at base; pappus c. 6 mm.

Flowering time: July−September.

Habitat: Rocky and sandy places, fallow fields, 150−2700 m.

Reference:
Mathew B (1975). Chondrilla juncea L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 5: 812.

Public Description:

Chondrilla juncea subsp. juncea, known as “rush skeletonweed”, “gum succory”, “devil's grass”, and “nakedweed”, is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It is also known as an invasive plant that has spread to other temperate regions of the world. It is a glaucous biennial or perennial herbaceous plant with yellow flowers, and grows up to 1 meter in length. Seeds of the plant are poisonous, but when rainfall is favorable, this plant is a major source of pollen and a small surplus of golden honey (strongest natural antibiotic with honey) can be produced from its nectar. In the Greek island of Crete, the leaves and the tender shoots of a local variety are eaten raw or boiled in salads by the locals. According to researchers, the rush skeletonweed probably has a strong anti-oxidant activity for medicinal use.

References:

Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chondrilla_juncea/, Accessed date: 11.01.2016.

Anonymous 2 (2016). http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/chojun/all.html/, Accessed date: 11.01.2016.

Pieroni A, Janiak V, Dürr CM, Lüdeke S, Trachsel E and Heinrich M. (2002). In vitro antioxidant activity of non-cultivated vegetables of ethnic Albanians in southern Italy. Phytother Res16(5): 467-73.

Ekim T (2012). Chondrilla L. In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 140.