Tribe Cynareae Rank Species | Subfamily Carduoideae Genus Cirsium Higher classification Cirsium | |
Similar Spear Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Wild Angelica, Heath Bedstraw, Cuckoo Flower | ||
Spaanse ruiter cirsium dissectum 6 juni 2011 wmv
Cirsium dissectum, also known as meadow thistle, is an erect perennial herb. It is found in England, Wales, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Norway, etc. It is found in fens and less acidic peat bogs i.e. it prefers damp boggy areas.
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Description
Cirsium dissectum grows 15 to 50 cm tall. It resembles a more slender version of Cirsium heterophyllum in having a grooved cottony stem and lanceolate shaped leaves, that have prickles and not spines. However the leaves are narrower (under 3 cm), less hairy underneath, and hairy on top.
The flower heads are 2 to 3 cm long, the florets being dark red/purple, flowering from June until August.
The plant has runners.
Similar Species
Cirsium tuberosum or tuberous thistle, has tuberous roots rather than runners, and the leaves are twice pinnated. It is found in Calcerous grasslands but very rare. It has been recorded in Britain in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Glamorgan, and Wiltshire.
It flowers from June until July.
