ATRACTYLIS CANCELLATA

Family:- COMPOSITAE

Common Name:- Birdcage thistle

Synonyms:- Acarna cancellata, Carthamus cancellatus, Cirsellium

cancellatum, Crocodilina cancellata.

Meaning:- Atractylis (Gr) Spindles, referring to the long spines of the bracts

Cancellata (L) Cross-banded, latticed.

General description:- Slender, low to short, downy or hairless thistle like, annual.

Stems:-

1) 3-30 cm, erect, white tomentose.

Leaves:-

1) In a basal rosette, long lanceolate, spiny-margined.

2) Lower short-petiolate, the upper sessile.

Flowers:-

1) Outer-bracts, divided and comb-like around the flower-head.

2) Inner-bracts, notched at the spine-tipped apex.

3) Flower-heads blue, 15-25 mm., solitary.

4) Florets all tubular.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes 3-4 x 1·5-2 mm.

2) Pappus 8-10 mm, white.

Key features:-

1) Stems present.

2) Involucre 5-22 mm.

3) The middle bracts with all spines similar.

4) Upper cauline leaves shorter than to slightly longer than the involucre.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Stony habitats, dry grassy places, open dry shrubby vegetation, field

margins and roadsides. 0-600(1000) m.

Distribution:- Spain, S France, Balearic Is., NW Africa. Crete. Widespread and

common on Crete.

Flowering time:- End Mar to mid-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton