Common name of a group of flowering plants
Not to be confused with
Teasel
, also a tall prickly plant.
Thistle
is the common name of a group of
flowering plants
characterized by
leaves
with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family
Asteraceae
. Prickles can also occur all over the plant – on the stem and on the flat parts of the leaves. These prickles protect the plant from
herbivores
. Typically, an
involucre
with a clasping shape similar to a cup or urn subtends each of a thistle's
flower heads
. The typically feathery
pappus
of a ripe thistle flower is known as
thistle-down
.
[1]
The spininess varies considerably by species. For example,
Cirsium heterophyllum
has very soft spines while
Cirsium spinosissimum
is the opposite.
[2]
Typically, species adapted to dry environments are more spiny.
The term thistle is sometimes taken to mean precisely those plants in the tribe
Cardueae
(synonym: Cynareae),
[3]
especially the genera
Carduus
,
Cirsium
, and
Onopordum
.
[4]
However,
plants outside this tribe
are sometimes also called thistles.
Biennial thistles are particularly noteworthy for their high wildlife value, producing copious floral resources for pollinators, nourishing seeds for birds like the goldfinch, foliage for butterfly larvae, and down for the lining of birds' nests.
[5]
[6]
[7]
A thistle is the
floral emblem
of
Scotland
and
Lorraine
, as well as the emblem of the
Encyclopædia Britannica
.
Taxonomy
[
edit
]
Genera in the
Asteraceae
with the word thistle often used in their common names include:
[
citation needed
]
Plants in families other than Asteraceae which are sometimes called thistle include:
Ecology
[
edit
]
Thistle flowers are the favourite nectar sources of the
pearl-bordered fritillary
,
small pearl-bordered fritillary
,
high brown fritillary
, and
dark green fritillary
butterflies.
[8]
Thistles and thistle-seed feeders provide important sustenance for
goldfinches
and are strongly favored by many butterflies besides fritillaries such as the
monarch
,
skippers
, and the various types of
tiger swallowtail
. Hummingbirds will feed on the flowers of the biennial species, which feature large flowers, as compared with the perennial Canada thistle.
[
citation needed
]
Some thistles, for example
Cirsium vulgare
, native to Eurasia, have been widely introduced outside their native range.
[9]
Control measures include
Trichosirocalus
weevils
. A problem with this approach, at least in North America, is that the introduced weevils may affect native thistles at least as much as the desired targets.
[10]
Another approach towards controlling thistle growth is using
thistle tortoise beetles
as a biological control agent; through feeding on thistle plants, thistle tortoise beetles skeletonize the leaves and damage the plant.
[11]
Thistles are important nectar sources for pollinators. Some ecological organizations, such as the
Xerces Society
, have attempted to raise awareness of their benefits to counteract the general agricultural and home garden labeling of thistles as weeds. The monarch butterfly,
Danaus plexippus
for instance, was highlighted as traditionally relying upon taller large-flowered thistle species such as Tall thistle,
Cirsium altissimum
, for its migration.
[6]
Although such organizations focus on the benefits of native thistles, certain non-native thistles, such as
Cirsium vulgare
in North America, may provide similar benefits to wildlife.
[7]
Some prairie and wildflower seed production companies supply bulk seed for native North American thistle species for wildlife habitat restoration, although availability tends to be low. Thistles are particularly valued by bumblebees for their high nectar production.
Cirsium vulgare
was ranked in the top ten for nectar production in a
UK
plants survey conducted by the AgriLand project supported by the UK Insect Pollinators Initiative.
[7]
Bull thistle was a top producer of nectar sugar in another study in Britain, ranked third with a production per floral unit of (2323 ± 418μg).
[5]
Uses
[
edit
]
Pliny
and medieval writers thought it could return hair to bald heads and that in the
early modern period
it was believed to be a remedy for headaches,
plague
, cancer sores, vertigo, and jaundice.
[12]
[13]
Cuisine
[
edit
]
In the
Beira
region, thistle flowers are used as rennet in
cheese
making. "
Serra da Estrela
" is not only the name of a mountain chain in this country, "
Serra da Estrela
" is also the name of one of the most appreciated cheeses made from sheep's milk.
[14]
Economic significance
[
edit
]
Thistles, even if one restricts the term to members of the Asteraceae, are too varied a group for generalisation. Many are troublesome weeds, including some invasive species of
Cirsium
,
Carduus
,
Silybum
and
Onopordum
.
[15]
Typical adverse effects are competition with crops and interference with grazing in pastures, where dense growths of spiny vegetation suppress forage plants and repel grazing animals. Some species, although not intensely poisonous, affect the health of animals that ingest them.
[16]
[17]
The genus
Cynara
includes the commercially important species of
artichoke
. Some species regarded as major weeds are sources of vegetable
rennet
used in commercial cheese making.
[18]
Similarly, some species of
Silybum
that occur as weeds are cultivated for seeds that yield vegetable oil and pharmaceutical compounds such as
Silibinin
.
[19]
[20]
[21]
Other thistles that nominally are weeds are important honey plants, both as bee fodder in general, and as sources of luxury
monofloral honey
products.
[15]
[22]
[23]
Medicine
[
edit
]
The Milk Thistle, also known as silymarin, has been used to treat liver or gallbladder problems. While not confirmed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services, milk thistle has shown beneficial results in previous studies for people with
HCV.
It is possible that milk thistle can lower blood sugar levels for
type two diabetes
. As a dietary supplement, milk thistle is recommended for
hepatitis
,
cirrhosis
,
jaundice
,
diabetes
, and
indigestion
.
[24]
Culture
[
edit
]
Symbolism
[
edit
]
Scottish thistle
[
edit
]
The thistle has been the national emblem of
Scotland
since the reign of
King Alexander III
(1249?1286).
[
citation needed
]
According to
legend
, an invading
Norse
army was attempting to sneak up at night upon a Scottish army's encampment. One barefoot Norseman stepped on a thistle and cried out in pain, thus alerting Scots to the presence of the invaders. Possibly, this happened in 1263 during the
Battle of Largs
, which marked the beginning of the departure of King
Haakon IV
(Haakon the Elder) of
Norway
who, having control of the
Northern Isles
and
Hebrides
, had harried the coast of the
Kingdom of Scotland
for some years.
[25]
Reverse of a 1967 florin: thistles, shamrocks, leeks, & rose
Reverse of five pence: crowned thistle
The thistle was used on
silver coins
first issued by
King James III
in 1474 as a
Scottish symbol
and national emblem.
[26]
[27]
In 1536, the
bawbee
, a sixpence in the
pound Scots
, was issued for the first time under
King James V
; it showed a crowned thistle. Thistles continued to appear regularly on Scottish and later British coinage until 2008, when a
5p coin
design showing "
The Badge of Scotland, a thistle royally crowned
" ceased to be minted, though it remains in circulation.
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle
, the highest and oldest
chivalric order
of Scotland, has thistles on its insignia and a chapel in
St Giles's Kirk
, Edinburgh, dubbed the
Thistle Chapel
. The thistle is the main charge of the regimental badge of the
Scots Guards
, the oldest regiment in the
British Army
.
Both the Order of the Thistle and the Scots Guards use the motto
Nemo me impune lacessit
, the motto of the
House of Stuart
and referring to the thistle's prickly nature.
Pound coins
with this motto and a thistle were minted in 1984, 1989, and 2014. The combination of thistle and motto first appeared on the bawbee issued by King Charles II. In 1826, the
grant of arms
to the new
National Bank of Scotland
stipulates that the shield be surrounded by thistles and "thistle" is used as
the name
of several
Scottish football
clubs. Since 1960, a stylised thistle, also representing the Scottish
Saltire
, has been the logo of the
Scottish National Party
.
[
citation needed
]
The thistle is also seen as the logo for Scottish Rugby. Many businesses in Scotland choose this symbol to represent their organization.
[28]
Since 2013, a different stylised thistle, crowned with the Scottish crown, has been the emblem of
Police Scotland
, and had long featured in the
arms
of seven of the eight pre-2013 Scottish police services and constabularies, the sole exception being the
Northern Constabulary
. As part of the arms of the
University of Edinburgh
, the thistle appears together with a saltire on one of the escutcheons of the
Mercat Cross in Edinburgh
. The coat of arms and crest of
Nova Scotia
("
New Scotland
"), briefly Scotland's colony, have since the 17th century featured thistles.
Following his ascent to the English throne,
King James VI of Scotland & I of England
used a
badge
consisting of a
Tudor rose
"
dimidiated
" with a Scottish thistle and surmounted by a royal crown.
[29]
As the floral emblem of Scotland it appears in the
Royal Arms of the United Kingdom
thereafter, and was included in the heraldry of various
British
institutions, such as the
Badge of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
alongside the Tudor rose, Northern Irish
flax
, and Welsh
leek
. This floral combination appears on the present issues of the one pound coin. Beside the Tudor rose and Irish
shamrock
the thistle appears on the badge of the
Yeomen of the Guard
and the arms of the
Canada Company
. Issues of the historical
florin
showed the same flora, later including a leek.
[
citation needed
]
The thistle is also used to symbolise connection with Scotland overseas. For example, in Canada, it is one of the four floral emblems on the
flag of Montreal
; in the US,
Carnegie Mellon University
features the thistle in its crest in honour of the Scottish heritage of its founder,
Andrew Carnegie
, and
Annapolis, Maryland
features the thistle in its flag and seal. The thistle is also the emblem of the
Encyclopædia Britannica
(which originated in Edinburgh, Scotland) and
Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited
(as the company was founded by two Scots).
Which species of thistle is referred to in the original legend is disputed. Popular modern usage favours cotton thistle (
Onopordum acanthium
), perhaps because of its more imposing appearance, though it is not native and unlikely to have occurred in Scotland in mediaeval times. The spear thistle (
Cirsium vulgare
), an abundant native species in Scotland, is a more likely candidate.
[30]
[31]
Other species, including dwarf thistle (
Cirsium acaule
), musk thistle (
Carduus nutans
), and melancholy thistle (
Cirsium heterophyllum
) have also been suggested.
[32]
Thistle of Lorraine
[
edit
]
The thistle, and more precisely
Onopordum acanthium
, is one of the symbols of
Lorraine
, together with its coat of arms which displays three
avalerions
, and the
Cross of Lorraine
.
[
citation needed
]
Lorraine is a region located in northeastern France, along the border with
Luxembourg
and
Germany
. Before the
French Revolution
, a large part of the region formed the
Duchy of Lorraine
. In the
Middle Ages
, the thistle was an emblem of the
Virgin Mary
because its white sap would bring to mind the milk falling from the breast of the Mother of God. It was later adopted as a personal symbol by
Rene of Anjou
, together with the Cross of Lorraine, then known as the Cross of Anjou. It seems through his book
Livre du cuer d'amours espris
that the Duke chose the thistle as his emblem not only because it was a Christian symbol, but also because he associated it with physical love.
[33]
The thistle and the cross were used again by his grandson,
Rene II, Duke of Lorraine
, who introduced them in the region. The two symbols became hugely popular among the local people during the
Battle of Nancy
in 1477, during which the Lorrain army defeated
Burgundy
. The Duke's motto was "
Qui s'y frotte s'y pique
", meaning "who touches it, pricks oneself", with a similar idea to the Scottish motto "
Nemo me impune lacessit
". Nowadays the thistle is still the official symbol of the city of
Nancy
, as well as the emblem of the
AS Nancy
football team, and the
Lorraine Regional Natural Park
.
[34]
[35]
Place names
[
edit
]
Carduus
is the
Latin
term for a thistle (hence
cardoon
,
chardon
in French), and
Cardonnacum
is a Late Latin word for a place with thistles. This is believed to be the origin of name of the
Burgundy
village of
Chardonnay, Saone-et-Loire
, which in turn is thought to be the home of the famous
Chardonnay
grape variety.
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[
edit
]
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External links
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Thistles
.
Look up
thistle
in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Texts on Wikisource: