# Spiked rampion

*Phyteuma spicatum*

Historically, the thick, tuberous roots and young leaves of this species were harvested and eaten raw in salads or cooked as a vegetable.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Asterales › Campanulaceae › Phyteuma
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous woodlands, forest margins, and shady meadows with damp, nutrient-rich soils.
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (photosynthesis, drawing water and minerals from the soil).
- **Range:** Europe, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Scandinavia
- **Size:** 30 to 80 cm tall
- **Lifespan:** 3 to 7 years (perennial)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation, intensive woodland management, and overgrazing by herbivores.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. This plant is non-toxic and safe to touch or observe closely. Avoid trampling the surrounding soil to protect its delicate basal leaves. No medical action is required upon contact.

## About

Phyteuma spicatum , the spiked rampion , is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Campanulaceae.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/929b9952-d4db-49d1-89e6-fbf17aa6be6e
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/133517
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyteuma spicatum
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/19991453/medium.jpg (Klaus Wehrlin, CC0, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.