CARDOPATIUM CORYMBOSUM

Family:- COMPOSITAE

Common Name:- None

Synonyms:- Brotera corymbosa, Carthamus corymbosus, Echinops

corymbosus, Onobroma corymbosum.

Meaning:- Cardopatium Meaning unkown.

Corymbosum (L) With flowers arranged in corymbs.

General description:- Robust perennial herb with a stout taproot crowned by

fibrous leaf remains.

Stem:-

1) Stout, erect,15-40 cm, corymbosely branched above.

Leaves:-

1) Cauline, in a rosette, oblong-oblanceolate in outline, pinnate or pinnatisect

coriaceous, with strongly spiny-dentate lobes.

Flowers:-

1) In a dense, dome-shaped cluster of numerous, bright blue capitula 5-10 mm

diam, with 7-10 florets.

2) Involucre, c. 10 mm, narrowly ovoid; phyllaries tough, pectinate-spinose.

3) Florets, tubular.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes, sericeous, with a pappus of membranous scales.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Coastal habitats, roadsides, dry grassland, archaeological sites, 0-400 m.

Distribution:- Scattered on mainland Greece, Peloponnisos and the E.

Mediterranean area. Rare on Crete known from only a few scattered locations.

Flowering time:- End of May to early Aug.

Photos by:- Giorgos Pantakis