Chondrilla juncea
Encyclopedia
Chondrilla juncea is a species of flowering plant in the Aster family
known by a number of common names, including rush skeletonweed, gum succory, devil's grass, and nakedweed. The plant is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but it is known throughout most temperate regions of the world as an introduced species
which is usually considered a noxious weed.
It is a thin, spindly plant which reaches a meter in height. It starts from a basal rosette of leaves and branches extensively, often forming a weedy thicket. It produces small daisylike flowers with rectangular yellow ray florets
. The fruit is an achene
about a centimeter long topped with a white pappus
. It reproduces by seed but also by cloning itself at the root; tilling of soil and chopping up plants actually help this species disperse by sectioning and distributing root parts.
This plant is considered a very troublesome weed in many areas. It easily invades fields, clogs harvesting machines, and successfully competes with other plants for water. There are several biological control
measures used against this plant. The skeletonweed gall midge (Cystiphora schmidti - an insect), the skeletonweed gall mite (Aceria chondrillae
- an arachnid), and skeletonweed rust (Puccinia chondrillina - a fungus) all show potential for controlling infestations.
In the Greek
island of Crete
the leaves and the tender shoots of a local variety called ampelosyrida (αμπελοσυρίδα) or glykosyrida (γλυκοσυρίδα) are eaten raw or boiled in salads by the locals. The plant is also traditionally consumed by ethnic Albanians (Arbëreshë
) in the Vulture area (southern Italy). According to a research (2002) by A. Pieroni, V. Janiak, C. M. Dürr, S. Lüdeke, E. Trachsel and M. Heinrich in the Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy (The School of Pharmacy, University of London), Chondrilla juncea probably has a strong anti-oxidant activity and a probable medicinal use. The strong XO-inhibiting activity shown by extracts of the aerial parts of the plant has been reported in this research for the first time, and merits further investigation focusing on natural products with potential effects on hyperuricaemia and gout.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by a number of common names, including rush skeletonweed, gum succory, devil's grass, and nakedweed. The plant is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but it is known throughout most temperate regions of the world as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
which is usually considered a noxious weed.
It is a thin, spindly plant which reaches a meter in height. It starts from a basal rosette of leaves and branches extensively, often forming a weedy thicket. It produces small daisylike flowers with rectangular yellow ray florets
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
about a centimeter long topped with a white pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
. It reproduces by seed but also by cloning itself at the root; tilling of soil and chopping up plants actually help this species disperse by sectioning and distributing root parts.
This plant is considered a very troublesome weed in many areas. It easily invades fields, clogs harvesting machines, and successfully competes with other plants for water. There are several biological control
Biological pest control
Biological control of pests in agriculture is a method of controlling pests that relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms...
measures used against this plant. The skeletonweed gall midge (Cystiphora schmidti - an insect), the skeletonweed gall mite (Aceria chondrillae
Aceria chondrillae
Aceria chondrillae is a biological control agent against Chondrilla juncea , which is a well-known noxious weed....
- an arachnid), and skeletonweed rust (Puccinia chondrillina - a fungus) all show potential for controlling infestations.
In the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
island of Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
the leaves and the tender shoots of a local variety called ampelosyrida (αμπελοσυρίδα) or glykosyrida (γλυκοσυρίδα) are eaten raw or boiled in salads by the locals. The plant is also traditionally consumed by ethnic Albanians (Arbëreshë
Arbëreshë
The Arbëreshë are a linguistic and ethnic Albanian minority community living in southern Italy, especially the regions of Apulia, Basilicata, Molise, Calabria and Sicily...
) in the Vulture area (southern Italy). According to a research (2002) by A. Pieroni, V. Janiak, C. M. Dürr, S. Lüdeke, E. Trachsel and M. Heinrich in the Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy (The School of Pharmacy, University of London), Chondrilla juncea probably has a strong anti-oxidant activity and a probable medicinal use. The strong XO-inhibiting activity shown by extracts of the aerial parts of the plant has been reported in this research for the first time, and merits further investigation focusing on natural products with potential effects on hyperuricaemia and gout.