Cirsium dissectum
| Cirsium dissectum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cirsium dissectum (Meadow Thistle) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Subfamily: | Carduoideae |
| Tribe: | Cynareae |
| Genus: | Cirsium |
| Species: | C. dissectum |
Cirsium dissectum, also known as Meadow Thistle, is an erect perennial herb. It is found in England, Wales, Ireland, from western France to the Netherlands, and Germany. It is found in fens and less acidic peat bogs i.e. it prefers damp boggy areas.[1]
Description
It grows 15 to 50 cm tall. It resembles a more slender version of Cirsium heterophyllum in having a grooved cottony stem and lanceolate shaped leaves, that have prickles and not spines. However the leaves are narrower (under 3 cm), less hairy underneath, and hairy on top.
The flower heads are 2 to 3 cm long, the florets being dark red/purple, flowering from June until August.
The plant has runners.
Similar Species
Cirsium tuberosum or Tuberous thistle, has tuberous roots rather than runners, and the leaves are twice pinnated. It is found in Calcerous grasslands but very rare. It has been recorded in England in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Glamorgan, and Wiltshire. It has also been recorded in France.
It flowers from June until July.
References
- ↑ Rose, Francis (1981). The Wild Flower Key. Frederick Warne & Co. pp. 382–383. ISBN 0-7232-2419-6.