SPECIES DESCRIPTION
SCOLYMUS HISPANICUS subsp. HISPANICUS
Family:- COMPOSITAE
Common Names:- Spanish oyster plant
Synonyms:- None
Meaning:- Scolymus, the ancient Greek name for the artichoke.
Hispanicus (L) From Spain, Spanish.
General description:- Medium to tall, usually hairy biennial or perennial, bleeding
latex when cut.
Stems:-
1) 20-80 cm, with interrupted spinose-dentate wings.
Leaves:-
1) 40-200 × 15-70 mm; basal oblanceolate, soft, pinnatisect, with few spines,
petiole long.
2) Cauline, rigid linear-oblong to ovate, sinuate-pinnatifid, spiny, not or scarcely
thickened a the margin.
3) Uppermost, very irregularly spiny.
Flowers:-
1) Golden yellow, with only ray-florets, joined together in a capitula from 20-30 mm
diam. attached at the axil of the leaves, along the stems.
2) Panicle, narrow.
3) Involucre, 15-20 × 8-10 mm.
4) Bracts, more or less lanceolate, gradually attenuate to an acute apex, without or
with few hairs.
5) Receptacular scales, narrowed at apex.
Fruit:-
1) Achenes 3-5 mm, clavate, with 2 - 4 very short bristles.
2) pappus of a few rigid hairs.
Key features:-
1) Leaves, and wings of the stem without or with only a slightly thickened white
margin.
2) Uppermost leaves, irregularly spiny.
3) Pappus, of a few rigid hairs.
4) Involucral bracts, without or with few hairs, more or less lanceolate, gradually
attenuate to an acute apex.
5) Receptacular scales narrowed at apex.
Habitat:- Margins of roads, cultivated fields and olive groves, dry pastures coastal
habitats, usually, 0-600(-1400) m.
Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Fairly
widespread and common across Crete.
Flowering time:- May-July.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
