Carum L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 263 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Temp. & Subtropical Old World.

Descriptions

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Biennial or perennial herbs with fusiform or fibrous roots
Morphology Leaves
Leaves variously 2–4-pinnatisect
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels compound
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre
Involucre absent or of few bracts; involucel constantly present
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers usually white or pink, rarely (not in Iraq) dark red or cream-coloured, mostly hermaphrodite but apparent male flowers sometimes present
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals obovate or obcordate, the tip emarginate, with an inflexed lobule
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Valleculae 1–3-vittate (usually with one broad vitta), commissure 2–4-vittate Fruit oblong-ovoid or ovoid rotund, laterally compressed (sometimes considerably so), smooth and glabrous; ribs 5, narrow, pale, prominent and conspicuous; mericarps often falcately curved
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stylopodium
Stylopodia shortly conical or flattened, styles somewhat longer, ± spreading or reflexed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Carpophore
Carpophore bifid or deeply bipartite
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Endosperm
Endosperm subterete, commissural face flat or almost so.
Distribution
About 30 species in the temperate regions of the Old World; only one native species in Iraq and perhaps another sometimes cultivated.
Note
Carum (probably from the district of Caria in Asia Minor where caraway was much grown; Stearn points out that it is the Latin form of the Greek name for caraway, καρον, karon, the name used for caraway by Dioscorides).
[FIQ]

Sources

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0