Thistle 2193890 224621957 2008-07-09T18:18:29Z Filll 2379776 wl :''This article is about the plant, for other uses see [[Thistle (disambiguation)]].'' {{Refimprove|date=October 2007}} [[Image:Milk thistle flowerhead.jpg|thumb|250px|Milk thistle flowerhead]] '''Thistle''' is the common name of a group of [[flowering plant]]s characterised by [[leaf|leaves]] with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the plant family [[Asteraceae]]. Prickles often occur all over the plant - on surfaces such as those of the stem and flat parts of leaves. These are an [[adaptation]] to protect the plant against [[herbivorous]] animals, discouraging them from feeding on the plant. Typically, an [[involucre]] with a clasping shape of a cup or urn subtends each of a thistle's flowerheads. The term thistle is sometimes taken to mean exactly those plants in the [[tribe (biology)|tribe]] [[Cynareae]] (synonym: Cardueae)<ref>{{cite web | title = Cardueae (“thistles”) | work = BioImages: The Virtual Field-Guide (UK) | url = http://www.bioimages.org.uk/HTML/T1086.HTM | accessdate = 2007-11-30 }}</ref>, especially the genera ''[[Carduus]]'', ''[[Cirsium]]'', and ''[[Onopordum]]''<ref name="mw">{{cite web | work = Merriam-Webster's online dictionary | title = thistle | url = http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=thistle | accessdate = 2007-11-30}}</ref>. However, plants outside this tribe are sometimes called thistles, and if this is done thistles would form a [[Polyphyly|polyphyletic]] group. ==Taxa== [[Image:Thistledown 1781.JPG|right|thumb|[[Thistledown]], a method of [[Biological dispersal|seed dispersal]] by wind. The tiny seeds are a favorite of [[Carduelis|goldfinches]] and some other small birds.]] Genera in the Asteraceae with the word thistle often used in their common names include: *''[[Arctium]]'' – [[Burdock]] *''[[Carduus]]'' – Musk Thistle and others *''[[Carlina]]'' – [[Carline thistle]] *''[[Centaurea]]'' – [[Star thistle]] *''[[Cicerbita]]'' – Sow thistle *''[[Cirsium]]'' – Common Thistle, Field Thistle and others *''[[Cnicus]]'' – Blessed thistle *''[[Cynara]]'' – [[Artichoke]]s, [[Cardoon]] *''[[Echinops]]'' – [[Globethistle]] *''[[Notobasis]]'' – Syrian thistle *''[[Onopordum]]'' – [[Cotton thistle]], also known as Scots thistle or Scotch thistle *''[[Scolymus]]'' – Golden thistle or oyster thistle *''[[Silybum]]'' – [[Milk thistle]] *''[[Sonchus]]'' – Sow thistle Plants in families other than Asteraceae which are sometimes called thistle include: *''[[Salsola]]'' – Saltwort, tumbleweed or Russian thistle (family [[Amaranthaceae]]) ==Heraldry== In the [[language of flowers]], the thistle (like the [[Burr (fruit)|burr]]) is an ancient [[Celts|Celtic]] symbol of nobility of character as well as of birth, for the wounding or provocation of a thistle yields punishment. For this reason the thistle is the symbol of the [[Order of the Thistle]], a high [[chivalric order]] of [[Scotland]]. Another story is that a [[Viking]] attacker stepped on one at night and cried out, so alerting the defenders of a [[Scottish castle]].<ref name="Viking">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/weed_info/Written_findings/Onopordum_acanthium.html|title=Scotch thistle|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board}}</ref> Whatever the justification, the [[national flower]] of [[Scotland]] is the thistle - specifically ''[[Onopordum acanthium]]'', the Scots thistle. It is found in many [[Scottish symbols]] and in [[Thistle (disambiguation)#Football (soccer) clubs|the names]] of several [[football in Scotland|Scottish football]] clubs. ==Place names== ''Carduus'' is the [[Latin language|Latin]] term for a thistle (hence [[cardoon]]), and ''Cardonnacum'' is the Latin word for a place with thistles. This is believed to be the origin of name of the [[Burgundy]] village of [[Chardonnay, Saône-et-Loire]], which in turn is thought to be the home of the famous [[Chardonnay]] grape variety. {{commons|Cirsium|Thistles}} == Notes and references== {{reflist}} [[Category:Asteraceae]] [[Category:National symbols of Scotland]] [[da:Bladhovedtidsel]] [[es:Cardo]] [[eo:Kardo]] [[fr:Chardon]] [[io:Kardono]] [[he:קוץ]] [[it:Carduus]] [[ja:アザミ]] [[pl:Oset]] [[pt:Cardo]] [[ru:Чертополох]] [[sv:Tistlar]] [[to:Longolongoʻuha]]