Caucalis

Caucalis platycarpos is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, the only member of the genus Caucalis. Common names are carrot bur parsley, small bur-parsley, and burr parsley. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East as far east as Iran.

Caucalis platycarpos is an annual up to 40 cm tall with trailing stems. Leaves are highly divided into many small leaflets. Flowers are produced in an umbel of 2 to 5 flowers, each with white or pink petals. The fruit is an oblong capsule with many hooked spines on the surface.

Distribution
It is distributed in southwest Asia, North Africa and most of central and Southern Europe; almost all of the Iberian Peninsula.

Habitat
It is found in crop fields, fallows and nitrophilous grasslands. Preferably in basic substrates at an altitude of 100-1000 (1600) meters. Flowering occurs in March - June (July) and fruiting in May - August.