SafePlants

Carline Thistle (Carlina vulgaris and Carlina acaulis)

The Carline Thistle, known scientifically as Carlina vulgaris and Carlina acaulis, is a distinctive plant with a fascinating array of characteristics and uses.

Considerations for Pets

• The plant is described as "short, stiff, and exceptionally spiny."
• Leaves, bracts, and stems are described as spiny.

Considerations for Children

• The plant is described as "short, stiff, and exceptionally spiny."
• Leaves, bracts, and stems are described as spiny.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Carlina vulgaris and Carlina acaulis
• Common Names: Carline Thistle, Stemless Carline Thistle, Dwarf Carline Thistle, Silver Thistle
• Family: Asteraceae (formerly Aster Family), subfamily Carduoideae (Daisy Family &#8211 Compositae)
• Taxonomic Rank: Subspecies (Carlina vulgaris L. subsp. longifolia Nyman)

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to Europe, including alpine regions.
• Can be found on dry, chalk grassland and the seaward edge of dune ridges.
• Frequently found in abandoned fields and areas of garrigue and steppe.
• Specific locations mentioned include the Burren and the Gower Peninsula.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Carlina vulgaris is a biennial growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in).
• Carlina acaulis is a perennial.
• The plant is described as short, stiff, and spiny.
• Leaves are alternate, not in a basal rosette, and cottony beneath.
• Flowerheads are 15 to 40 mm, solitary or in small numbers.
• The rootstock is finger-thick, brown on the outside, lighter and fissured on the inside.
• The plant has brownish-yellow flower-heads, sometimes with purplish hues, surrounded by straw-colored bracts.
• Carlina acaulis is described as having large flowers with white or purple-brown florets nestled in a rosette of long spiny leaves hairy beneath.

Quirky Facts

• Carline thistle is a natural hygrometer; its flower closes when the air is humid or when it rains.
• At first the head consists only of a mass of dark brown or black spines intertwined with a net of white fibres resembling cotton wool.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Mentioned as a plant where Marbled Whites are observed mating.

Additional Information

• The genus name Carlina honors the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1500-1558).
• Acetone extracts of carline thistle root have strong antibacterial activity.