Botanical name: Arctium lappa    Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower family)
Synonyms: Lappa officinalis, Arctium edule, Lappa major

Greater Burdock is rather tall herb, reaching as much as 2 m. It has large, alternating, heart-shaped leaves that have a long stalk and are velvety on the underside. The flower-heads are purple, united in clusters. The flower-heads are surrounded by an involucre made out of many bracts, each curving to form a hook, allowing them to be carried long distances on the fur of animals. The fruits are achenes - they are long, compressed, with short pappuses. The fleshy tap-root can grow up to 1 m long. Greater Burdock is found in the Himalayas, at altitudes of 2100-3700 m, and also in West Asia and Europe. Flowering: July-September.

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The flower labeled Greater Burdock is ...