Family: Boraginaceae
Mongolian name:
English name: European stickseed, Bluebur
Collection Number: 9 (duplicate collection-19)
Lappula squarrosa, commonly known as European stickseed, two-row stickseed, bristly sheepbur, or bluebur, is an annual or biennial plant with small, blue flowers that ranges in height between 25-75 cm. It is a part of the Boraginaceae family. Seed oil extracted from the plant has been established to have skin softening and conditioning qualities and is thus being considered for use in modern cosmetic products. It is referenced as having both potential medicinal and potentially toxic properties in different publications and is related to other plants in the Borage family with established medicinal applications, but it does not appear to have a strong history of use as a medicinal plant.
Citations
Bur Forget Me Not Plant – Wildflower Web. . http://www.wildflowerweb.co.uk/plant/2784/bur-forget-me-not, accessed April 18, 2025.
Chrzanowska, Ewelina, Bożena Denisow, Halina Ekiert, and Łukasz Pietrzyk. 2024. Metabolites Obtained from Boraginaceae Plants as Potential Cosmetic Ingredients—A Review. Molecules 29(21):5088. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29215088.
“Lappula squarrosa (European Stickseed).” Minnesota Wildflowers: a field guide to the flora of Minnesota. MinnesotaWildflowers.info. Accessed August 1. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/european-stickseed.
“Lappula squarrosa (Bluebur) – photos and description.” Saskatchewan Wildflowers. Glen Lee. Accessed August 1. https://www.saskwildflower.ca/nat_Lappula-squarrosa.html.
“Lapulla squarrosa.” 2024. Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Accessed August 1. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:117629-1
Letsyo, Emmanuel, Gerold Jerz, Peter Winterhalter, and Gert Horn. 2016. Survey of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Seven Varieties of Lappula Squarrosa : An Alternative Source of Heart-Healthy Vegetable Oil. Phytochemical Analysis 27:133–139. https://doi.org/10.1002/pca.2608.
Reference Collection 