Genus of the Month
August
This page has been created for people who want to learn more about plants, especially in the
context of their taxonomy (Latin names, etc.). This is by no means an exhaustive list of
all available Web resources for a particular genus.
If you like this page, you might also want to visit the Land of the Glandular Trichomes
, a microscopic look at plants in the Lamiaceae family. Also, you can see my contribution to the
Conservation New England web site, entitled
"The Introduction of Non-Native Plants into Massachusetts".
This month's genus:
Carlina
prob. Carlina vulgaris. Photo taken by J. Forman.
May not be used without permission.
Subclass: Dicotyledoneae
Superorder: Asteridae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Lactucoideae
Tribe: Cardueae
Number of Species: At least 2
Root: Named for the Holy Roman Emperor Carolus Magnus, otherwise known as Charlemagne.
The genus Carlina describes a group of thistles characterized by yellow to silvery petals
and spiny flowers. The flowers are long-lasting and are often used in dried flower arrangements.
Here are a few links to images and descriptions of different Carlina species:
- To find out more about this history of this genus, read an excerpt from Mrs. Grieve's
A Modern Herbal, which discusses
C. vulgaris, at Botanical.com.
- JDS Gardens, a Canadian greenhouse, has a small picture of
C. acaulis, which may be available for
sale.
- Read more about C. acaulis
and see a good picture at the Basic Bulk and Natural Foods web site.
References:
- Heywood, V.H., ed. Flowering Plants of the World. New York, Oxford University Press: 1993.
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