Xanthium strumarium

Xanthium strumarium L. s.l. (incl. X. albinum (Widder) H. Scholz, X. chinense Mill., X. macrocarpum DC., X. orientale L., X. pensylvanicum Wallr., X. ripicola Holub, X. saccharatum Wallr., X. strumarium L. s.str.) (Am.) – A rare but increasing, locally naturalized alien. Already known in Belgium in the 18th century but early records were surely ephemeral. Formerly regularly seen as a wool alien in the Vesdre valley near Verviers, at least between 1822 and 1947. At present fully naturalized and fast spreading on the gravelly and sandy banks of river Maas between Lanaken and Maaseik (Verloove 2002, 2006). Unfortunately, the invasion history of Xanthium strumarium in Belgium is rather poorly documented. The species was apparently not yet known from the valley of river Maas in the 1970’s (Adema & Jansen 1979) but already abundant in 1994 (coll. J. Lambinon). However, we found out that the first collection dates back to 1978 (Kotem; comm. Leo Andriessen & Cécile Nagels). Xanthium strumarium is furthermore a regular but ephemeral alien elsewhere in Belgium. Most recent records are associated with grain importation: unloading quays, near grain storages, on dumps, along road verges, on waste land, etc.

Xanthium strumarium is an exceedingly variable species and is here accepted in a very broad sense. As a rule, Xanthium strumarium s.str. is readily distinguished from X. orientale: it has smaller burs (12-18 mm versus 18-25 mm long) with 2 straight beaks and numerous, nearly straight spines (versus 2 hooked beaks and numerous hooked spines). However, perfectly intermediate plants have also been encountered. The recognition of only one species in subgenus Xanthium (X. strumarium) is perhaps slightly simplistic but the number of intermediates is probably too large to accept more than one species. The naturalized populations from river Maas have been tentatively ascribed to Xanthium saccharatum.

Xanthium strumarium, Lanaken (Neerharen), gravelly bank of river Maas, October 2010, R. Barendse Xanthium strumarium, Antwerpen, port area (Amerikadok), unloading quay for cereals, October 2011, R. Barendse
Xanthium strumarium, Antwerpen, port area (Amerikadok), unloading quay for cereals, October 2011, R. Barendse  

 


Selected literature:

Adema F. & Jansen M.T. (1979) Xanthium L. in Nederland. Gorteria 9: 300-303.

Belde M. (1996) Untersuchungen zur Populationsdynamik von Xanthium albinum an der Mittelelbe. Braunschweiger Geobotanische Arbeiten.

Blais P.A. & Lechowicz M.J. (1989) Variation among populations of Xanthium strumarium (Compositae) from natural and ruderal habitats. Amer. J. Bot. 76: 901-908.

Brande A. (1976) Zur Ausbreitungsgeschichte von Xanthium im sudostlichen Europa. Bot. Jahrb. 95(3): 406-410.

Buch C. (2011) Vorkommen der Elb-Spitzklette (Xanthium albinum (Widder) H. Scholz, Asteraceae) am Niederrhein in Duisburg. Online-Veröff. Bochumer Bot. Ver. 3(6): 52-66. [available online at: > http://www.botanik-bochum.de/publ/OVBBV3_6_Buch_Xanthium.pdf]

Kaul V. (1965-66a) Physiological ecology of Xanthium strumarium L. 1. Seasonal morphological variants and distribution. Trop. Ecol. 6: 72-87.

Kaul V. (1965-66b) Physiological ecology of Xanthium strumarium L. 2. Physiology of seeds in relation to its distribution. J. Indian Bot. Soc. 44: 365-380.

Klotz J. (2007) Die Xanthium-Arten bei Regensburg, mit einem Wiederfund von Xanthium spinosum für Ostbayern. Hoppea 68: 191-196.

Liddle M.J. & Elgar M.A. (1984) Multiple pathways in diaspore dispersal, exemplified by studies of Noogoora burr (Xanthium occidentale Bertol., Compositae). Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 88(4): 303-315.

Löve D. (1974) Flora Europaea: notulae systematicae ad floram Europaeam spectantes: no. 15. Notes on Xanthium strumarium L. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 68(4): 277-278.

McMillan C. (1973a) Photoperiodic adaption in Xanthium strumarium populations introduced to Australa. Canad. J. Bot. 51: 221-229.

McMillan C. (1973b) Photoperiodic evidence in the introduction of Xanthium strumarium to Tahiti and Hawaii from Mexico. Amer. J. Bot. 60: 277-282.

McMillan C. (1975) The Xanthium strumarium complexes in Australia. Austral. J. Bot. 23: 173-192.

Mohl R., Patzke E. & Mertens H. (2009) Xanthium strumarium L. s. str. in der Niederrheinischen Bucht. Decheniana 162: 59-61.

Opravil E. (1974) Xanthium strumarium L.-Europskì archeofyt. Acta Inst. Bot. Acad. Sci. Slov. 1: 83-87.

Opravil E. (1983) Xanthium strumarium L. - ein europäischer Archäophyt? Flora 173(1/2): 71-79.

Protopopova V.V. & Shevera M.V. (1995) Xanthium saccharatum Wallroth em Widder Asteraceae new alien species of Ukrainian flora. Ukrayins'kyi Botanichnyi Zhurnal 52(1): 145-149.

Thellung A. (1908) Zur Nomenklatur und Synonymie von Xanthium orientale L. und X. echinatum Murray, sowie von Brassica juncea (L.) Cosson. Verhandlungen des Botanischen Vereins der Provinz Brandenburg 50: 137-159.

Thellung A. (1914) Über Xanthium strumarium L. und X. echinatum Murray, sowie deren Bastard. Verhandlungen des Botanischen Vereins der Provinz Brandenburg 56: 143-145.

Verloove F. (2002) Ingeburgerde plantensoorten in Vlaanderen. Mededeling van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud n° 20: 227 p.

Verloove F. (2006) Xanthium orientale. In: Van Landuyt W., Hoste I., Vanhecke L., Van den Bremt P., Vercruysse W. & De Beer D., Atlas van de flora van Vlaanderen en het Brussels gewest. Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek, Nationale Plantentuin van België en Flo.Wer: 940.

Weaver S.E. & Lechowicz M.J. (1983) The biology of Canadian weeds. 56. Xanthium strumarium L. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 63(1): 211-225. [available online at: http://biology.mcgill.ca/faculty/lechowicz/articles/CJPS-1982.pdf]

Weicherding F.-J. & Wisskirchen R. (2017) Die Gewöhnliche Spitzklette Xanthium strumarium L. s.str. (Asteraceae) und ihre Vorkommen im Saarland und in angrenzenden Regionen. Abh. Delattinia 43: 189-202.

Widder F.J. (1972) Das nordamerikanische Xanthium pungens Wallroth als Adventipflanze anderer Kontinente. Bot. Not. 125: 389-392.

Wisskirchen R. (1989) Zur Verbreitung und Kennzeichnung von Xanthium saccharatum Wallr. em. Widder an Rhein und Mosel. Decheniana 142: 29-38.

Zimmerman J.K. & Weis I.M. (1983) Fruit size variation and its effects on the germination and seedling growth in Xanthium strumarium. Canad. J. Bot. 61: 2309-2315.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith