style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Queen Annestyle='font-size:36.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:white;

mso-themecolor:background1;mso-no-proof:yes'>’s Lace

style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>By:style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Seth Conner

if !vml>src="Queen%20Anne_files/image002.gif" align=right hspace=13 style='margin-top:

1px;margin-bottom:2px' alt=Map.jpg v:shapes="Picture_x0020_0">endif>style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>style='mso-tab-count:1'>           

style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";

color:white;mso-themecolor:background1'>The wild carrot is known by many things

from all over the world.  In the United

States it is commonly called “Queen Anne’s Lace” because of its resemblance to lace,

and the red flower in the middle represents a droplet of blood from Queen

Anne’s finger when she poked herself with a needle while she was making lace.

In England it is generally called “Bird’s Nest” because when the flower dies it

shrivels up into a nest-like shape.  This

plant belongs to the Apiaceae family

under the name Daucus carota.

            Queen

Anne’s lace is naturally found in the temperate regions of Europe and southwest

Asia.  It was brought to the United

States for medicinal purposes and now is populated throughout the country and

has even spread to some parts of Canada. 

Wild carrots grow in dry fields and along roadsides in the following

biomes:  temperate broadleaf & mixed

forests; temperate grasslands, savannas, & shrublands; deserts; taiga; and

montane grasslands & shrublands.

if !vml>src="Queen%20Anne_files/image003.gif" align=left hspace=15 style='margin-top:

5px;margin-bottom:7px' alt=waterhemlock.jpg v:shapes="Picture_x0020_17">endif>style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";

color:white;mso-themecolor:background1'>

            style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “Bird’s nest” is very common and considered an

invasive, noxious weed.  It does not

require a lot of rain to photosynthesize so it can outgrow its competition.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Its leaves can irritate the human skin but

the most dangerous aspect of Queen Anne’s lace is that it resembles the water

hemlock, one of the most poisonous plants in North America.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> 

if !vml>src="Queen%20Anne_files/image004.gif" align=right hspace=15 style='margin-top:

5px;margin-bottom:8px' alt=wc.jpg v:shapes="Picture_x0020_18">endif>style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";

color:white;mso-themecolor:background1'>           

style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";

color:white;mso-themecolor:background1'>Although the wild carrot seems

dangerous it has several benefits. 

Scientists have confirmed that its seeds can be crushed and used for a

natural contraceptive.  Research done

with mice has found that it disrupts the implantation process during

conception.  Also, Queen Anne’s lace’s

roots are edible in the early stages of growth, after that they become too

woody to eat.

style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";

color:white;mso-themecolor:background1'> 

style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";

color:white;mso-themecolor:background1'>The wild carrot is a biennial plant,

which is one that takes two years to complete its life cycle.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  In the first year of growth the wild carrot

grows its stem, leaves and roots.  Then

in the winter months the reproductive cycle becomes inactive until spring.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  During the spring the plants continues to

grow until June when it begins to flower. 

In the center of the flower there is a red petal that attracts insects

for pollination.  Queen Anne’s lace can

grow anywhere from 1to 3 feet tall.

if !vml>src="Queen%20Anne_files/image009.gif" align=left hspace=14 style='margin-left:

-2px;margin-right:2px;margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:8px' alt=birdnest.jpg

v:shapes="Picture_x0020_19">endif>

style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";

color:white;mso-themecolor:background1'>There was no specific reason I chose

this plant.  I knew it was very common in

this area and I thought it would be interesting to learn more about it.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  I wanted to find out if it was edible or not,

if it was common all over the United States, and if it was poisonous to us or

other animals.  I found out that this

plant was useful in many different ways.

style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif"'>href="/Bibliography.htm">Bibliography