Lapsana

Common carbon Rain ( Lapsana communis)

The common Rain cabbage ( Lapsana communis), also Common Rain cabbage or simply carbon Rain today, is the only species of the monotypic genus Lapsana within the sunflower family ( Asteraceae). This native plant species in Eurasia is an ancient food and medicinal plant.

Description of the plant

When Rain Commons carbon is a one, rarely two perennial herbaceous plant, which reaches stature heights of 30 to 100 cm, but usually about 50 cm. The Rain cabbage is a milky sap leading half rosette plant.

The lower leaves are lyre-shaped pinnate, the lateral leaflets are small and the Endfiederblättchen very large. In the upper leaves, the lateral leaflets then disappear completely. The leaf margin is wavy or serrated sinuate.

In a loose paniculate inflorescence several basket- shaped part inflorescences are arranged. The flower heads have a diameter of about 1 cm and contain relatively few ( eight to 15) ray florets. The head shell is made of a series of elastic bracts, almost upright ripe and possibly two or three very small Außenhüllblätter chaff leaves are missing. The zygomorphic, yellow ray florets are trimmed at the front end with five small teeth. The flowering period extends from June to September.

The 20 - rippigen achene has no pappus.

Ecology

The common carbon Rain is a cultural companion since the early Stone Age.

Its flowers are "basket flowers from Cichorium type". The flowers are open in bright weather in the morning only 6-11 clock and they are visited by bees and hoverflies sparse. Spontaneous self-pollination is possible by curving the edge of the inner petals, which the anthers come into contact with the scars, such as in bad weather.

This plant is a Selbstausstreuer, plus a wind - and animal shakers. Also, a spread of achenes by ants takes place.

Occurrence

The home of the commons Rain Kohls are the temperate zones of Eurasia. Meanwhile, he has run wild in some parts of North America.

The common carbon Rain prefers nitrogen- rich soil, and is therefore just in bushes or along roadsides in towns and villages very common nowadays. Since he also grows well in the shade, it comes as before in nutrient-rich forests.

After Ellenberg is a half- shade plant, a freshness indicator, the preferred nitrogen-rich sites, and a Verbandscharakterart the Lauchkrautsäume ( Alli Arion ) is.

Use

The young leaves of the Rain Kohls ( April to June) are edible and can be added to salad, spinach, omelette, scrambled eggs or quiches. Later, the plant is too fibrous.

The crushed leaves are, applied externally, accelerate the healing of inflammation and cuts.