ABSTRACT
Carrots belong to the family Umbelliferae which includes other species such as anise, caraway, celery, celeriac, coriander, dill, parsnip, parsley, wild carrot, and water hemlock. The genus Daucus contains nearly 60 species, but about half of them are subspecies or forms of the polymorphic species Dau Cus Carota. The carrot becomes reproductive the following growing season after overwintering, forming a branched flower stalk and seeds. Seed production under field conditions involves 2 years for one generation: growing mature roots from seed the first year, harvesting and storing the roots at a low temperature during the winter, and replanting the roots in the spring to complete the reproductive cycle. The carrot inflorescence is a series of compound umbels borne terminally on the branches.
