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Carrot🥕
Daucus carota subsp. sativus
ニンジン
A biennial grown for its orange taproot. Rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body, making it a highly nutritious vegetable. Widely used in Japanese, Western, and Chinese cooking for simmered dishes, curries, and kinpira. The Western-type carrot introduced to Japan around the 17th century is now the predominant form.
Identification Points
- ✓Root is a slender cone shape with vivid orange color
- ✓Leaves are 2–3 times pinnately compound with fine dissections typical of Apiaceae
- ✓White small flowers clustered in compound umbels
- ✓Thin petioles connect to hollow stems
Habitat
Fields and farmland
Season
Spring sowing: March–May; autumn sowing: July–September
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Compound
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf shape
Linear
Growth form
Herb
Petal count
5 petals
Petal fusion
Free
Habitat
Cultivated
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Ovary position
Inferior
Stamen count
5
Phylogenetic Positionセリ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Apiales > Apiaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene
Evolution Notes
Apiaceae possesses a distinctive compound umbel inflorescence structure, attracting pollinating insects by clustering many small flowers. Carrot is considered native to Afghanistan, and selective breeding established the current orange varieties.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification