Species name :

Conium maculatum L.
Published in Sp. Pl. 243 (1753).

Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)

Conium divaricatum Boiss. & Orph.

Full list of synonyms : [Euro+Med] [PlantList] [IPNI] [POWO] [Catalogue of Life ]

Plant Family :

Apiaceae Lindl. (=Umbelliferea) (The Carrot Family)
34 species from the Apiaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands.

English name(s) :

Hemlock, Poison Hemlock, Devil's bread

Maltese name(s) :

Ċikuta

Status for Malta :

Species that was introduced in Malta after year 1492 and spreads to form established, non-invasive populations. It may become become invasive if it widespreads rapidly.

Frequency :

Very Common     Common     Frequent     Scarce     Rare     Very Rare     Extinct

Growth form :

Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: HEMICRYPTOPHYTE (prostate plants with flowers close to the ground)
Germination [info]: Dicotyledon

Legal Protection [link]:

Not Protected by Law (LN200/2011 or LN311/2006)

Red List (1989) :

Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands

Flowering Time :

May-Aug

Colour of Flowers:

White

Remarks :

All parts of plant are highly poisonous especially the seeds.

Habitat in Europe:

Wasteground near arable land

Preferred habitat in Malta:

Last population was seen in disturbed ground close to arable land.

Botanical Description:

Nearly glabrous winter annual or biennial 50-250 cm. Stem pruinose, usually with reddish-brown spots below, hollow. Lower leaves up to 50 x 40 cm, triangular in outline, 2- to 4-pinnate, soft, entirely glabrous; lobes 10-20 mm, oblong-lanceolate to deltate, pinnatifid, coarsely serrate or crenate-serrate. Rays (6-)10-20, often puberulent. Bracts (0-)5-6, narrowly triangular to ovate-lanceolate, deflexed; margin scarious; bracteoles 3-6, on the outside of the partial umbel, widened at base and often connate. Fruit 2.5-3.5 mm

Distributional range:

Almost throughout Europe, except the extreme north

Native region outside Europe:

North Africa

Distributional map in Europe
and the Mediterranean region (2018):

Occurrences in Europe.
(from Flora Europaea pre year 1993):

All Europe except Faroe Islands, Iceland, Svalbard archipelago

Occurrences in Europe and the Mediterranean region.
(Euro+Med Checklist, 2017) - Country codes

Ab(A N) Ag Al Ar Au(A) †Au(L) Az Be(B L) BH Bl(M N) Br Bu By dCa(C G H P T) Cg Co Cr Cs Cy Da Es Fe Ga(F) Ge Gg Gr Hb(E N) He Ho Hs(A S) Hu Ir It Jo La Le Li Lt Lu Ma Mk Mo Po Rf(C CS E N NW S) Rm Sa Si(M S) Sk Sl Sr Su Sy Tn Tu(A E) Uk(K U) [Az(M S T) Md(M) aNo]