Echinops sphaerocephalus

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Echinops sphaerocephalus
Kugeldistel 20050705 565.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Echinops
Species:
E. sphaerocephalus
Binomial name
Echinops sphaerocephalus
L.
Synonyms [1]
Synonymy
  • Echinops maximus Siev. ex Pall.
  • Echinops altaicusHort. ex DC.
  • Echinops cirsiifoliusK.Koch
  • Echinops cirsiifolius(K.Koch) Grossh.
  • Echinops erevanensisMulk.
  • Echinops horridusLink
  • Echinops macedonicusFormánek
  • Echinops majorSt.-Lag.
  • Echinops multiflorusLam.
  • Echinops paniculatusJ.Jacq.
  • Echinops villosusHort. ex DC.
  • Echinops viscosusRchb.
  • Echinopus sphaerocephalus(L.) Scop.
  • Echinops albidusBoiss. & Spruner, syn of subsp. albidus
  • Echinops taygeteusBoiss. & Heldr., syn of subsp. taygeteus

Echinops sphaerocephalus, known by the common names glandular globe-thistle, [2] great globe-thistle [3] or pale globe-thistle, is a Eurasian species of globe-thistle belonging to the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae.

Contents

Description

flowers, with bee Echinops sphaerocephalus 20050705 554.jpg
flowers, with bee

Echinops sphaerocephalus is a glandular, woolly perennial herbaceous plant with an average height of 50–100 centimetres (20–39 in), occasionally reaching 200 cm (80 inches). [4]

Its erect branching, gray, slightly wrinkled and hairy stems bear the occasional large, soft, sharply toothed, sharp-lobed pointed green leaves. They are sticky hairy above, and white woolly below. [4]

Atop each stem is an almost perfectly spherical inflorescence up to 6 cm in diameter, packed with white or blue-gray disc florets. It flowers from June until September. [4] [5]

The flowers are pollinated by insects (usually bees, wasps and butterflies) (entomogamy) and are hermaphrodite (self fertilization or autogamy). The fruits are hairy cylindrical achenes about 7 to 8 mm long. They ripen from September through October. The seeds are dispersed by wind (anemochory). [4]

Distribution

This species is widespread across much of Eurasia but it lives on other continents where it was introduced, including North America where it is a widespread weed. [4] [6] [3] It is very common in the mountains of southern France and southern and central Europe. [7]

Habitat

It grows in sunny, rocky or brushy places in more or less mineral rich soils at an altitude of 0–400 metres (0–1,312 ft) above sea level.

Subspecies [1]

References

  1. 1 2 The Plant List, Echinops sphaerocephalus L.
  2. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  3. 1 2 Flora of North America, Great globe-thistle, boulette commune, Echinops sphaerocephalus Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 814. 1753.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Flora of China, 蓝刺头 lan ci tou Echinops sphaerocephalus Linnaeus
  5. Rose, Francis (1981). The Wild Flower Key. Frederick Warne & Co. pp. 386–387. ISBN   0-7232-2419-6.
  6. Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  7. Altervista Flora Italiana, Cardo pallotta maggiore, drüsige Kugeldistel, bolltistel, Echinops sphaerocephalus L. includes photos and European distribution map