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whitespine thistle

Scientific Name: Cirsium clokeyi

Family: Asteraceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Biennial

Other Names:

       

Cirsium eatonii var. clokeyi (Whitespine Thistle, Charleston Mountain Thistle)

Cirsium eatonii var. clokeyi, commonly known as Whitespine Thistle or Charleston Mountain Thistle, is a forb/herb belonging to the genus Cirsium. It is a non-woody plant.

Considerations for Pets and Children

  • Thistles, in general, are known for having spines. Whitespine Thistle specifically has leaves with spines and a yellowish to white spine at the tip.
  • The plant has spiky leaves and is described as spiny.
  • The plant is a two-year or short-lived perennial that spends the first year as a rosette.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Cirsium eatonii var. clokeyi (accepted name) and/or Cirsium clokeyi S.F. Blake
  • Common Names: Whitespine Thistle, Charleston Mountain Thistle
  • Family: Asteraceae
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Taxonomic Rank: Species (Cirsium clokeyi), Variety (Cirsium eatonii var. clokeyi)
  • Synonyms/Alternative Names: Clokey Thistle, Spring Mountains Thistle

Morphological Characteristics

  • Whitespine Thistle is described as a two-year or short-lived perennial.
  • It begins its life as a rosette of spiky leaves.
  • Thistle stems are commonly 1.5-6 feet (0.5-2.0 m) tall, multi-branched and spiny.

Ecological Role

  • Thistles, in general, can be troublesome invasive weeds.

Related Species

  • Other Cirsium species mentioned include: Cirsium andersonii, Cirsium ciliolatum, Cirsium clavatum, Cirsium chellyense, Cirsium chuskaense, Cirsium congdonii, Cirsium costaricense, Cirsium crassicaule, Cirsium vulgare, Cirsium acaule, and Cirsium acarna.
  • Other thistle genera mentioned: Carduus, Silybum, and Onopordum.

Further Information

  • The Plant List, ToL (Tree of Life Web Project), BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library), and WikiSpecies are listed as sources of more information.
  • Dave's Garden is mentioned as a resource for gardening tips and information.
  • British Database of World Flora and Fauna is listed as a source of taxonomic information.