ATRACTYLIS CANCELLATA

Family and Genus:- See-COMPOSITAE

Common Name:- Birdcage thistle

Homotypic Synonyms:- Acarna cancellata, Carthamus cancellatus, Cirsellium

cancellatum, Crocodilina cancellata.

Meaning:- Atractylis (Gr) Spindles, referring to the long spines of the bracts

Cancellata (L) Cross-banded, latticed.

General description:- Slender, low to short, downy or hairless thistle like, annual.

Stems:-

1) 3-30 cm, erect, white tomentose.

Leaves:-

1) In a basal rosette, long lanceolate, spiny-margined.

a) lower, short-petiolate.

b) upper, sessile.

Flowers:-

1) Bracts:

a) outer, divided and comb-like around the flower-head.

b) middle, with all spines similar.

c) inner, notched at the spine-tipped apex.

3) Flower-heads, blue, 15-25 mm., solitary.

4) Florets, all tubular.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes, 3-4 x 1·5-2 mm.

2) Pappus, 8-10 mm, white.

Key features:-

1) Stems, present.

2) Involucre, 5-22 mm.

3) The middle bracts, with all spines similar.

4) Upper cauline leaves, shorter than to slightly longer than the involucre.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Stony habitats, dry grassy places, open dry shrubby vegetation, field

margins and roadsides. 0-600(1000) m.

Distribution:- Spain, S France, Balearic Is., NW Africa. Crete. Widespread and

common on Crete.

Flowering time:- End Mar to mid-June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton