Centaurea calcitrapa subsp. angusticeps
L., (Lindberg f.) Meikle
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(c) 2009 Barry Rice, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
Summary
Source: WikipediaCentaurea calcitrapa is a species of flowering plant known by several common names, including common star thistle, red star-thistle and purple star thistle. It is native to Europe but is known across the globe as an introduced species and often a noxious weed. The species name calcitrapa comes from the word caltrop, a type of weapon covered in sharp spikes.
Description
A herb.
This description is brief — help expand it
Edible Uses
In western Crete, Greece a local variety called gourounaki (γουρουνάκι - little pig) has its leaves eaten boiled by the locals. A south Italian variety of the species is also traditionally consumed by ethnic Albanians (Arbëreshë people) in the Vulture area (southern Italy). In the Arbëreshë communities in Lucania the young whorls of Centaurea calcitrapa are boiled and fried in mixtures with other weedy non cultivated greens.
Traditional Uses
The young stems are boiled and eaten.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a Mediterranean climate plant.
Where It Grows
Cyprus, Mediterranean,
Also Known As
Agratzia, Atrachia, Atrachoua, Trisatzia
References (1)
- Della, A., et al, 2006, An ethnobotanical survey of wild edible plants of Paphos and Larnaca countryside of Cyprus. J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed. 2:34
