The wild carrot is native to the southern part of Eurasia, but is now widespread in temperate zones around the World and is present, with several subspecies, in all regions of Italy. It grows both in the driest aspects of hay meadows and in ruderal vegetation near settlements, on rather primitive soils that are rich in nitrogenous compounds and bases, sometimes even slightly saline, from sea level to about 1400 m. The species is sporadic on the edge of the Sardinian temporary ponds, in contact with ruderal vegetation. The root has been known since ancient times, and Pliny mentions it as a diuretic and digestive. ‘Old’ Carrots, however, were thin and bony, with an acrid taste and a whitish pulp, since the selection of carrots grown today began in the sixteenth century. The genus name derives from the Greek 'daio' (to burn, heat), perhaps for the alleged heating properties of the plant; the species name was already in use among the ancient Greeks. Flowering period: April to October.

Italian name(s): Aligaglia d'Alighera (Sardegna), Aligarza saligheresa (Sardegna), Arcot (Emilia-Romagna, Bologna), Bastnaga (Piemonte, Carpeneto), Bastonag salvadegh (Lombardia, Pavia), Bastonagia (Lombardia), Bastonaje bianche (Piemonte), Bastunaca (Sicilia, Catania), Bastunaga (Emilia-Romagna, reggio), Bastunaggia sarvaega (Liguria, Genova), Bastunaghe (Liguria, Sarzana), Brossa (Piemonte), Capo bianco (Toscana), Carittola (Emilia-Romagna, Piacenza), Caroeta (Emilia-Romagna, Romagna), Carota (Abruzzi), Carota (Toscana), Carota sarveiga (Liguria, Porto Maurizio), Carota selvatica (Italia), Carota selvatica fogliosa (Italia), Carota selvatica maggiore (Italia), Carotola (Lombardia, Brescia), Carotta (Emilia-Romagna, reggio), Carotta (Liguria, Chiavari), Carotto (Piemonte, Val San Martino), Carrota (Liguria, San Remo), Carua (Piemonte, Alessandria), Carvese (Veneto, Belluno), Dauco carota selvatica (Italia), Fenugetti (Liguria, Bardineto), Fostenaja (Sardegna), Fostinaja (Sardegna), Frastenaca (Campania), Frastinaca (Calabria), Frustinacra (Sardegna, Nuoro), Frustinaga (Sardegna, Nuoro), Fustinaglia areste (Sardegna), Fustinaja areste (Sardegna), Gallinacci (Toscana), Garotte (Veneto, Venezia), Garvesa (Veneto, Belluno), Gniffo (Lombardia, Valtellina), Gnifo (Emilia-Romagna, Lunigiana), Gnifri (Liguria, Sarzana), Gnifrignelu (Liguria, Sarzana), Magnugola (Veneto, Verona), Maigola (Lombardia, Brescia), Napolei (Lombardia, Pavia), Pastenaca (Abruzzi), Pastenaca (Campania), Pastenache (Campania), Pastenaga (Lombardia, Brescia), Pasticciona (Toscana), Pastinaca (Toscana), Pastinaca agresti (Sardegna), Pastinaccini (Toscana), Pastinaglia (Liguria, Bordighera), Pastinega (Emilia-Romagna, reggio), Pastonaga (Emilia-Romagna, Lunigiana), Pastriciano (Toscana), Pastunaggia (Liguria, Valle d'Arroscia), Pastunaglia (Liguria, Bordighera), Penitre (Liguria, Nizza), Pesternaia (Veneto, Belluno), Pestinaca (Sardegna), Pidocchini (Veneto, Venezia), Pistinaga (Sardegna), Pistinaga aresti (Sardegna, Cagliari), Recoti (Liguria, Sarzana), Ricota (Emilia-Romagna, reggio), Vastunaca sarvaggia (Sicilia), Virga pastoris (Toscana).