Cichorium

Inflorescences of Ordinary Chicory (Cichorium intybus )

The Chicory (Cichorium ), also called chicory, are a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family ( Asteraceae). There are six to eight species. In Central Europe, only the Common Chicory is native. You and endive are important crops.

The trivial name means " Signs ", but it is not clear how the flower came to this name.

Features

The Chicory are annual to perennial, herbaceous plants. The whole plant leads milky sap. The usually stalkless leaves are pinnatifid or dentate, rarely entire.

The bloom conditions are numerous, terminal or axillary. The basket shell is cylindrical, the husks are in two rows. The outer are shorter than the inner ones. The baskets contain only ray florets. At the bottom basket is empty chaff leaves. The ray florets are sky blue.

The Achänenfrüchte are are oval and angular. You do not have a significant Pappus, but only one or two rows of inconspicuous scales.

Ingredients

Several species are used as medicinal plants (Cichorium intybus Cichorium glandulosum ) contain sesquiterpene lactones, among which especially the Lactucopikrin shows an analgesic effect in the mouse model.

Dissemination

The genus is native to Eurasia and North Africa. In the Americas, Africa and the Pacific particularly the Common chicory was introduced.

System

The Chicory belong within the subfamily Cichorioideae to Tribus Cichorieae (syn. Lactuceae ) and subtribe Cichoriinae. In the genus, there are approximately six to eight types:

• Cichorium bottae A.Deflers: History of Yemen and adjacent Saudi Arabia.
• Glatz Fruit Chicory (Cichorium calvum Asch. ): Native Ethiopia, in Central Europe introduced with seeds and wild.
• Endive ( Cichorium endivia L.): Cultivated, native Mediterranean region, central Europe rare wild.
• Cichorium glandulosum Boiss. & A.Huet: History Southwest Asia.
• Common Chicory Chicory or Ordinary (Cichorium intybus L.): native to Central Europe, also cultivated. Provides, inter alia, Chicory, radicchio, and chicory coffee.
• Cichorium pumilum Jacq. Native Mediterranean.
• Cichorium spinosum L.: History of Eastern Mediterranean.

Documents

• Siegmund Seybold (ed.): Schmeil - Fitschen interactive. CD -ROM, Version 1.1, Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2002, ISBN 3-494-01327-6.