Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Asterales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Centaurea benedicta
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Read more about Blessed Thistle at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Cnicus benedictus
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-24-004:
Centaurea benedicta FAMILY Asteraceae__
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Cnicus benedictus
COMMON NAME:
Blessed Thistle
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA Forest Service / A Guide to Medicinal Plants of Appalachia. 1969 mpa_page_099
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_cnbe_001_lvd
)
Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org bug_5374323
Month Unknown
Heads sessile, closely subtended & partially concealed by large foliar bracts, per Weakley's Flora.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Centaurea benedicta
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Cnicus benedictus
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 179-24-004:
Centaurea benedicta
FAMILY
Asteraceae__
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Cnicus benedictus
2677
Forb
Winter annual
Habitat: Fields, roadsides, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: Mediterranean Europe
Uncommon in Coastal Plain of GA-NC-SC, uncommon in SC Piedmont, rare elsewhere
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Leaf margins spiny
LEAVES:
Simple
Mostly alternate
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Disc: Yellow
Rays: Absent
Inferior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer
Achene
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".