Cynara cardunculus subsp. cardunculus

WeedyIntroduced
Synonyms: Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus (Linnaeus) Fiori Cynara scolymus Linnaeus
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 19. Treatment on page 90. Mentioned on page 89.

Leaves armed with spines 1–3 cm or unarmed or nearly so in some cultivated forms. Middle phyllaries acuminate at apex with point 22–38 mm and spine tip 6–9 mm, or in some cultivated forms broadly obtuse to truncate and mucronate with or without spine tip 1–2 mm, distal margins with or without indistinct yellowish margins. 2n = 34.


Phenology: Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Jul).
Habitat: Disturbed areas in sea bluffs, grasslands, coastal scrub, open woodlands, roadsides
Elevation: 0–500 m

Distribution

V19-41-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Calif., e Mediterranean region.

Discussion

The artichoke, selected for reduced spines on both leaves and phyllaries, and for enlarged heads, sometimes escapes in disturbed habitats. These plants are usually propagated vegetatively for uniform crop characteristics. When grown from seed, however, reversions to the much spinier wild types occur spontaneously and may have given rise to some of the forms of artichoke thistles. Additionally, intermediates may arise through hybridization of cultivated and wild races.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
David J. Keil +
Linnaeus +
Asteraceae tribe Cynareae +
Calif. +  and e Mediterranean region. +
0–500 m +
Disturbed areas in sea bluffs, grasslands, coastal scrub, open woodlands, roadsides +
Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Jul). +
Weedy +  and Introduced +
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus +  and Cynara scolymus +
Cynara cardunculus subsp. cardunculus +
Cynara cardunculus +
subspecies +