Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Chicory
Cichorium intybus
Aster family (Asteraceae)

Chicory often grows so densely in fallow fields that it turns them into a sea of blue. Although Chicory is classified as a weed in several states, it is really hard to dislike its lovely symmetrical flowers -- although this loveliness does contrast with the wiry stem; raggedy, Dandelion-like ; and generally unkempt appearance of the plant. Chicory was introduced to the United States and is now widespread. It is still used as a coffee substitute and as a root crop. "Cichorium" is a corruption of the Arabian name for this plant; and "intybus" is from the Egyptian word "tybi," "January," the month that Chicory was customarily eaten. In 1753 Linnaeus named this species and this which contains seven European species.


©2005 Hartmut Josi Bennöhr

Description

plant to almost three feet tall, from a deep . Branching stems. but mostly , to 10", deeply to merely . Stem leaves minute, -like. Flowerheads along branches or at tips of thick branches. and , in two shingled series with outer ones somewhat spreading. Flowerheads composed only of , light blue, notched on tips. an , somewhat .

Field Marks

Tall wiry stem, Dandelion-like , powder blue and symmetrical flowers.

© Al Schneider

basal -- at the base, situated or attached at the base.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

phyllaries -- Leaflike bracts covering the flowers before opening and remaining under the flower after it opens. Also called "bracts". Only used with the sunflower family (Asteraceae).

A noxious weed is considered to be harmful to the environment or animals. Often a governing body designates plants as noxious.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

ribbed -- having prominent, narrow parallel protrusions that extend over most of its length or circumference.

ray flowers -- The outer petals of a sunflower or daisy are ray flowers.

Bracts are modified leaves associated with a flower.

taproot -- The primary decending root of a plant.

Glands are plant structures that secrete liquids, salts or other substances. Glands often appear as hairs with a drop of liquid at the end.

Like the teeth on a saw, leaves and other surfaces can have toothed edges.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

sessile -- attached without a stalk. For example, a leaf that clasps the stalk. A petiolate leaf has a stalk.

basal leaves -- a leaf that grows lowest on the stem of a plant.

Cut deeply and (usually) unevenly (a condition intermediate between toothed and lobed).

genus -- A subdivision of a botanical Family in which all members have a significant number of similar characteristics.

ciliate -- fringed with hairs

leaves alternate along the main stem and are attached singly.

achene -- a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. For example, a rose hip holds a few achenes.