Carthamus arborescens
L.
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) faluke, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by faluke
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) faluke, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by faluke
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) belyykit, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by belyykit
Description
A thistle like plant which keeps growing from year to year. It is a stout plant with a woody base. It grows 2.5 m tall. The stems are straw coloured and covered with woolly hairs. The leaves are sword shaped and have lobes. The edges are spiny. The upper leaves clasp the stem. The flower heads are yellow and 30-50 mm across.
Edible Uses
The leaves are edible.
Distribution
It grows on rocky sites and sandy coastal regions.
Where It Grows
Africa, Europe, Mediterranean, North Africa, Spain,
Notes
There are 14 Carthamus species. They are thistle like plants. They are mostly Mediterranean.
References (3)
- Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 458
- Hermandez Bermejo, J.E., and Leon, J. (Eds.), 1994, Neglected Crops. 1492 from a different perspective. FAO Plant Production and Protection Series No 26. FAO, Rome. p 263
- Sp. pl. 2:831. 1753
