September Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Coarse spreading biennial, 6-12 dm. tall, stems generally one +/- openly branched above the middle, loosely tomentose; rosette-lvs. oblanceolate to elliptic, coarsely toothed; cauline lvs. lanceolate, to ca. 3 dm. long, deeply pinnatifid into lanceolate lobes, green and hirtellous above, armed with long fierce prickles, tomentose beneath; lf.-bases decurrent on the stem as long interrupted prickly wings; heads 1-few; peduncles 1-6 cm.; invol. ovoid to subglobose, 3-4 cm. long, the phyllaries graduated in 5-10 series, mostly lanceolate to linear, attenuate to subulate-acerose, spreading; fls. 25-35 mm. purple, well exserted, tube 18-25 mm.; fr. 3.5-4.5 mm., light brown or tan; pappus 20-30 mm.

Habitat:  An aggressive weed becoming common in waste places below 5000 ft.  June-Sept.

Name:  Greek, kirsion, a kind of thistle.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 146).  Latin, vulgaris, common.  (Jaeger 283).

General:  Common in the study area.  The photographed specimens were in Big Canyon and along Back Bay Dr. in two locations. (my comments).      All thistles are related to the artichoke and may be treated in the same manner.  Both the young flowering stalks and roots of C. vulgare are delicious when boiled for 20 minutes and seasoned with salt and butter.  Thistle heads are best when picked at the height of flowering.  (Clarke 221).      Roots and peeled stems can be eaten.  (Heizer and Elsasser 244).      C. arvense when boiled with milk is used for dysentery, an emetic, tonic, diaphoretic and astringent.  (Coon 230).       At least three thistles were diuretics, including C. arvense, C. vulgare, and C. discolor.  These same three thistles were used for stomach ache, cramps, bowel pain, or related complaints.  (Fielder 94, 144).     About 200 species, of N. Hemisphere.  The spp. hybridize freely and much introgression occurs.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 146).

Text Ref: Robbins et al. 453; Hickman, Ed. 239; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 148; Robbins et al. 453.

Photo Ref:  Oct-Nov 83 # 2,3,4; Jan 1 84 # 6,7; Sept 1 86 # 22.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.  

First Found:  October 1983.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 158.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 7/30/05.  

                            September Photo                                                          October Photo