Cirsium ciliolatum
Encyclopedia
Cirsium ciliolatum is a species of thistle
known by the common name Ashland thistle. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains
, where it is known from only a few occurrences in Jackson County, Oregon
, and Siskiyou County, California
. It is related to Cirsium undulatum
and may be more accurately described as a variety of that species. This native thistle is a perennial herb growing from a rootstock branching with runner roots to a maximum height near two meters. It is cobwebby with fibers. The gray-green woolly leaves are smooth along the edges to deeply lobed, sometimes spiny and cobwebby, and up to 25 centimeters at the longest. The inflorescence
is a cluster of several flower heads
each about 2 centimeters long and up to 5 wide. The head is lined with sticky, spiny phyllaries
and packed with white to lavender flowers. The fruit is an achene
with a thick body a few millimeters long and a pappus
about 1.5 centimeters in length.
Cirsium
Cirsium is a genus of perennial and biennial flowering plants in the Asteraceae, one of several genera known commonly as thistles. They are more accurately known as Plume thistles. These differ from other thistle genera in having feathered hairs to their achenes...
known by the common name Ashland thistle. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
, where it is known from only a few occurrences in Jackson County, Oregon
Jackson County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument* Crater Lake National Park * Klamath National Forest * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Umpqua National Forest -Demographics:...
, and Siskiyou County, California
Siskiyou County, California
Siskiyou County is a county located in the far northernmost part of the U.S. state of California, in the Shasta Cascade region on the Oregon border. Yreka is the county seat. Because of its substantial natural beauty, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Gold Rush era history, it is an important...
. It is related to Cirsium undulatum
Cirsium undulatum
Cirsium undulatum is a species of thistle known by the common names wavyleaf thistle and gray thistle. It is native to much of central and western North America from Canada to Mexico, and present outside of its native range as an introduced species. It is widespread and found in many habitat types....
and may be more accurately described as a variety of that species. This native thistle is a perennial herb growing from a rootstock branching with runner roots to a maximum height near two meters. It is cobwebby with fibers. The gray-green woolly leaves are smooth along the edges to deeply lobed, sometimes spiny and cobwebby, and up to 25 centimeters at the longest. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a cluster of several flower heads
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
each about 2 centimeters long and up to 5 wide. The head is lined with sticky, spiny phyllaries
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
and packed with white to lavender flowers. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
with a thick body a few millimeters long and a pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
about 1.5 centimeters in length.