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There are several dozen
Thistles, native and
introduced, in the Four Corners area.
Some of these Thistles reproduce from rhizomes; others are biennial,
reproducing from seeds. All are spiny and have only disk
flowers. Most Thistles are large
and obvious in plant and in flower. Some non-native Thistle are serious invaders of meadows
and pastures.
The genus Cirsium was named by Philip Miller (1691-1771). "Cirsium", is Greek for "dilated vein" from the bygone belief that a Thistle distillate opens clogged veins. |
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Cirsium
scariosum variety coloradense. Synonym: Cirsium coloradense. (Meadow Thistle, Elk Thistle) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Foothills, montane. Meadows. Summer. Cirsium scariosum can be six feet tall or have no stem and lie plastered to the ground. It is a distinct Thistle because of this growth habit and because of its stemless flowers tucked into the leaf axils and its very light green leaves and stems. Cirsium scariosum was first collected for science by Thomas Nuttall in Idaho in 1834 and was named by Nuttall in 1841. According to Michael Charter's online dictionary of botanical names, "scariosum" is for " 'scarious', [meaning] shriveled, thin, dry, often translucent and not green" and probably refers to the very light leaf and stem color and/or to the scarious tips of the phyllaries. |
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Cirsium
scariosum variety coloradense. Synonym: Cirsium coloradense. (Meadow Thistle, Elk Thistle) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Foothills, montane. Meadows. Summer. |
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Cirsium
scariosum variety coloradense. Synonym: Cirsium coloradense. (Meadow Thistle, Elk Thistle) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Foothills, montane. Meadows. Summer.
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Cirsium
scariosum variety coloradense. Synonym: Cirsium coloradense. (Meadow Thistle, Elk Thistle) Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Foothills, montane. Meadows. Summer. Mature flowers explode in a mass of fluff that will carry the seeds on fall winds. |
Range map © John Kartesz,
County Color Key
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Range map for Cirsium scariosum |