Cirsium dissectum

English thistle ( Cirsium dissectum )

The English thistle ( Cirsium dissectum ) is a species of the genus of thistles ( Cirsium ), which belongs to the subfamily of Carduoideae within the sunflower family ( Asteraceae).

Description

It is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches the plant height of about 30 to 100 centimeters. It forms a rhizome. The stalk is in contrast to some other thistle species not spiny winged and leafy in the upper part only little and small. The lower leaves are oblong, feathery lobed to entire, ciliate round non- thorny, 8-25 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. They are green above and greyish spinnwebig - woolly.

Per stem just a small basket inflorescence is usually developed which has a height of 2.5 to 3 cm and a diameter of 2 to 2.5 cm and contains only tubular flowers. The hermaphroditic disc florets are purple. The flowering period extends from June to July. The smooth achene is 3 to 4 mm long, weighs 1.3 to 3.6 mg, and has a long, pure - white pappus.

A similar-looking species is the tuberous thistle ( Cirsium tuberosum), which is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a synonym of the English thistle. However, it has thickened fusiform roots.

Occurrence

The English thistle is extremely atlantic spread - they inhabited northwestern Europe. In Germany, only the extreme northwest of the North German lowlands is achieved near the border with the Netherlands, in particular Ostfriesland is mentioned.

Cirsium dissectum grows in lean grassland societies, especially in rush - moor grass meadows, even at high moorland edges with wet heath and Nardus grasslands (for example, together with the Teufelsabbiss ). The sites are characterized by damp to wet, nutrient -and base- poor conditions; Most are former low and high moors.

Particularity

It was not until 1876 this species was observed at idle for Germany. Maybe favored by bog cultivation and increasing use of grassland, the English thistle could probably coming from the Netherlands to spread. Since the mid-20th century, the stocks are due to intensive drainage measures, land consolidation and fertilizer use, however, in persistent decline. In the main deposits in Lower Saxony and thus nationwide species is considered " critically endangered ". In the Netherlands it is called " vrij zeldzam " (Airborne) and " afgenomen zeer strong" ( very strong decline tendency) classified.

System

Cirsium dissectum belongs in the genus Cirsium Cirsium to section ( Syn: Sect Chamaeleon DC.. ).

For Cirsium dissectum (L.) Hill has the following synonyms: Cirsium tuberosum (L. ) All. subsp. anglicum ( Lam.) Bonnier, Cnicus pratensis ( Huds. ) Willd., non Lam., Cirsium anglicum ( Lam.) DC.