''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe

Cardueae The Cardueae are a tribe of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) and the subfamily Carduoideae. Most of them are commonly known as thistles; four of the best known genera are '' Carduus'', ''Cynara'' (containing the widely eaten art ...

within the family

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae ...

. They are native to southern

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

, northern

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, the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Mo ...

, the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...

, and southwest and central

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

. They grow on disturbed land, roadsides, arable land and pastures. They are

biennials A biennial plant is a flowering plant that, generally in a temperate climate, takes two years to complete its biological life cycle. Life cycle In its first year, the biennal plant undergoes primary growth, during which its vegetative structures ...

(rarely short-lived

perennials A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

) with branched, spinose winged stems, growing 0.5–3 m tall. In the first season they form a basal rosette of gray-green

felted A felted material is a hairy or filamentous (hairy-like) fibre that is densely packed or tangled, forming felt or felt-like structures. Anatomy and zoology The dermis is described in Gray's Anatomy as "felted connective tissue, with a va ...

leaves and rarely a few

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

heads. In the second season they grow rapidly to their final height, flowering extensively, and then die off after seed maturation.Flora of China Vol. 20-21 Page 159, 大翅蓟属 da chi ji shu ''Onopordum'' Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 827. 1753.
/ref> The leaves are dentate or shallowly lobed to compound with several pinnatifid or deeply cut leaflets, and strongly spiny. The terminal flower head is typical for thistles, a semi-spherical to ovoid capitulum with purple (seldom white or pink) disc florets. There are no ray florets. The receptacle is glabrous with dentate margins. The tube of the

corolla Corolla may refer to: *Corolla (botany), the petals of a flower, considered as a unit *Toyota Corolla, an automobile model name * Corolla (headgear), an ancient headdress in the form of a circlet or crown * ''Corolla'' (gastropod), a genus of moll ...

is slender, sac-shaped and symmetrical. The anthers have awl-shaped outgrowths on the top. The capitula have several overlapping rows of leathery basal simple linear-lanceolate spines. These are smooth to slightly pubescent. These plants propagate only by

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosper ...

. The seed heads mature in mid-summer, releasing their seeds. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...

is a glabrous

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not op ...

, 4–6 mm long and with 4-50 ribs. The pappus consists of many rows of simple, fine to minutely rough hairs, united in a circular base. ''Onopordum'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

e of some Lepidoptera species including ''

Coleophora onopordiella ''Coleophora onopordiella'' is a moth of the family Coleophoridae. It is found in France and Italy, and from Poland to Greece. The larvae feed on '' Arctium'', ''Berteroa'', '' Bromus'', '' Erysimum'', '' Marrubium vulgare'', '' Onopordum' ...

'' (feeds exclusively on ''O. acanthium''). In the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

island of

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cypru ...

a native species called agriagginara (αγριαγγινάρα) or koufoti (κουφωτοί) has its heads (flowers) and tender leaves eaten raw by the locals. ; Species * ''

Onopordum acanthium ''Onopordum acanthium'' (cotton thistle, Scotch (or Scottish) thistle, not to be confused with ''Cirsium vulgare'' - spear thistle, which is also known as Scotch or Scottish thistle and is the national flower of Scotland. Spear thistle is nat ...

'' L. - Cotton thistle, Scotch thistle, Scotch common-thistle, heraldic thistle, woolly thistle - widespread across Europe and temperate Asia * ''

Onopordum acaulon ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' L. - Stemless thistle, horse thistle - France, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia * ''

Onopordum alexandrinum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Boiss. - Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan * ''

Onopordum algeriense ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' (Munby) Pomel - Algeria * ''

Onopordum ambiguum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Fresen. - Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan * ''

Onopordum anatolicum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' (Boiss.) Eig. - Turkey * ''

Onopordum arenarium ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' M.Hossain & M.A.A.Al-Sarraf - Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya * ''

Onopordum armenum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Grossh. - Caucasus, Iran, Turkey * ''

Onopordum blancheanum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' (Eig) Danin - Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon * ''

Onopordum boissierianum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Raab-Straube & Greuter - Turkey * ''

Onopordum bracteatum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Boiss. & Heldr. - Greece, Turkey, Cyprus * ''

Onopordum canum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Eig - Iran, Jordan, Israel, Turkey * ''

Onopordum carduchorum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Bornm. & Beauverd - Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran * ''

Onopordum carduelium ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on d ...

'' Bolle - Canary Islands * ''

Onopordum carduiforme ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Boiss. - Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan * ''

Onopordum carmanicum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on d ...

'' (Bornm.) Bornm. - Iran * ''

Onopordum caulescens ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' d'Urv. - Greece * ''

Onopordum cinereum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Grossh. - Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan * ''

Onopordum corymbosum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Willk. - France, Spain * ''

Onopordum cynarocephalum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae The Cardueae are a tribe of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) and the subfamily Carduoideae. Most of them are commonly known as thistles; four of the ...

'' Boiss. & Blanche - Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan * ''

Onopordum cyrenaicum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Maire & Weiller - Libya * ''

Onopordum dissectum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Murb. - Spain, Morocco * ''

Onopordum dyris ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Maire - Morocco * ''

Onopordum elongatum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on d ...

'' Lam. * ''

Onopordum eriocephalum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Rouy - France * ''

Onopordum espinae ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Coss. * ''

Onopordum heteracanthum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' C.A.Mey. - Caucasus, Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia * ''

Onopordum horridum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on d ...

'' Viv. - Italy * ''

Onopordum illyricum ''Onopordum illyricum'' is a species of thistle known by the common name Illyrian thistle, or Illyrian cottonthistle. It is native to southwestern Europe, but has been introduced into Australia and California, where it has become a noxious weed ...

'' L. - Illyrian thistle, Illyrian cottonthistle - Mediterranean * ''

Onopordum leptolepis ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' DC. - from Palestine to Altay + Xinjiang * ''

Onopordum macracanthum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on d ...

Schousb Peter Schousboe (1766–1832) was a Danish botanist. Biography Peder Kofod Anker Schousboe was born in Rønne, Denmark and died in Tangier Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coa ...

. - Spain, Portugal, Italy, Morocco, Algeria * ''

Onopordum macrocanthum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' d'Urv. * ''

Onopordum macrocephalum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on d ...

'' Eig - Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Jordan * ''

Onopordum mesatlanticum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Emb. & Maire - Morocco * ''

Onopordum micropterum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Pau - Spain, Canary Islands * ''

Onopordum minor ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' L. - Iran * ''

Onopordum myriacanthum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on d ...

'' Boiss. - Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria * ''

Onopordum nervosum ''Onopordum nervosum'', called Moor's cotton thistle or reticulate thistle, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Onopordum'' native to the Iberian peninsula. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit The ...

'' Boiss. - Moor's cottonthistle - Spain, Portugal * ''

Onopordum parnassicum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Boiss. & Heldr. - Greece, Turkey * ''

Onopordum platylepis ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' (Coss. ex Murb.) Murb. - Libya, Tunisia * ''

Onopordum polycephalum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Boiss. - Turkey * ''

Onopordum prjachinii ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Tamamsch. - Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan * ''

Onopordum seravschanicum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Tamamsch. - Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan * ''

Onopordum sibthorpianum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Boiss. & Heldr. - Greece, Sicily, Malta, Turkey, North Macedonia, Saudi Arabia * ''

Onopordum tauricum ''Onopordum tauricum'', the Taurian thistle or bull cottonthistle, is a species of thistle. It is native to Eurasia and is known in Australia and the western United States as an introduced species. It easily becomes a noxious weed, similar to its ...

'' Willd. - Turkish thistle, Taurian thistle, Taurus cottonthistle, bull cottonthistle - southern + central Europe, Ukraine, Middle East * ''

Onopordum turcicum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on disturb ...

'' Danin - Turkey * ''

Onopordum wallianum ''Onopordum'', or cottonthistle, is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae. They are native to southern Europe, northern Africa, the Canary Islands, the Caucasus, and southwest and central Asia. They grow on di ...

'' Maire - Morocco ; Natural hybrids * ''Onopordum'' × ''brevicaule'' (''Onopordum acaulon'' × ''Onopordum acanthium'' ) * ''Onopordum'' × ''erectum'' (''Onopordum nervosum'' ssp. ''castellanum'' × ''Onopordum tauricum'' ssp. ''corymbosum'' ) * ''Onopordum'' × ''macronervosum'' (''Onopordum nervosum'' × ''Onopordum macrocanthum'') * ''Onopordum'' × ''onubense'' (''Onopordum dissectum'' × ''Onopordum macrocanthum'') * ''Onopordum'' × ''spinosissimum'' (''Onopordum illyricum'' × ''Onopordum acanthium'')

Invasive problems

Some species of ''Onopordum'' have been introduced as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

s in the temperate regions of North America and Australia, where they have become naturalised in the wild. In most of these countries, these thistles are considered noxious

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, "a plant in the wrong place", or a plant growing where it is not wanted.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. ...

s, especially in Australia where a biological control program has been set up (using the Rosette Crown

Weevil Weevils are beetles belonging to the superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small, less than in length, and herbivorous. Approximately 97,000 species of weevils are known. They belong to several families, ...

, ''

Trichosirocalus briesei ''Trichosirocalus'' is a genus of true weevils, native to the Old World, placed alternatively in the subfamily Ceutorhynchinae or in the tribe Ceutorhynchini of the subfamily Baridinae. Partial species list * ''Trichosirocalus horridus'' Panze ...

''). In North America, there are also ''Trichosirocalus'' control programs, but they have proved detrimental to native thistles.

References

* Briese, D.T., Lane, D., Hyde-Wyatt, B.H., Crocker, J., Diver, R.G. (1990). Distribution of thistles of the genus ''Onopordum'' in Australia. Plant Protection Quarterly 5: 23-27. {{Taxonbar, from=Q28104 Asteraceae genera