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Weed Identification
Australia > > Saffron Thistle
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Saffron Thistle
Carthamus lanatus |
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Family: Asteraceae.
Form: Herb
Origin: Native of southern Europe and Mediterranean to central Asia.
Flowers/Seedhead: Flowers: In solitary heads to 2 cm wide surrounded by spiny bracts (involucral bracts) to 5 cm long. Heads made up of small flowers (florets) to 3 cm long. Flowers late spring to autumn.
Description: Erect annual thistle to 1 (rarely to 1.5) m high. Stems ribbed, branched above, hairless to downy. Leaves variable; basal leaves in a rosette, lanceolate, initially with few lobes but older leaves more dissected, to 20 cm long and to 5 cm wide; stem leaves to 11 cm long and to 5 cm wide, usually hairless but some plants with hairy leaves, base stem-clasping and not on a leaf stalk. Seeds ovoid, grey-brown.
Distinguishing features: Distinguished by stems round in cross-section; leaves lanceolate and similar bracts around flowerheads, deeply toothed with lobes ending in spines; all flowers within heads tubular and yellow; seeds 4–6 mm long, about 3 mm wide, hairless, 4-angled, apex with linear scales to 1 cm long.
Dispersal: Spread by seed. Matures with cereal crops and seed is harvested with the grain. Dry seeds tangle in wool.
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Solitary heads with leaf-like rigid spiny
bracts around base
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Notes: Hardy weed of cultivation that displaces more useful species in poor pasture. Arguably the most widespread thistle in Australia. Only considered an important weed in Australia. The spines contaminate wool, and make handling contaminated sheep painful. Seldom eaten, but seeds are oil and protein rich
References:Noxious Weeds of Australia. W. Parsons and E. Cuthbertson, 1992, pages 194–197. The Biology of Australian Weeds. R. Groves et al., (eds), Vol. 1, 1995, pages 51–66.
Web References: Search Australian web sites for further information on this weed.
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Juvenile with first leavesphoto J.J. Dellow |
Rosettephoto J.J. Dellow |
Mature rigid spiny plants |
