Cynara cardunculus L., Sp. Pl. 827, 1753 subsp. cardunculusSyn: Carduus cardunculus (L.) Baill.; Cynara sylvestris Lam.; Cynara scolymus L.
Common names: Artichoke thistle, cardoon, cardone, cardoni, artichoke
A tall plant often reaching 2 m in height with fleshy tap root; leaves once to twice pinnately lobed or almost compound, with oblong to lanceolate, entire or toothed lobes, with or without spiny tips, usually white-tomentose; heads up to 15 cm across, bluish-purple; involucre bracts usually spine tipped or without spine (globe artichoke); style exserted.
Leaf rachis and stems are edible whereas in Globe artichoke flesh involucre bracts are used as food.
Photographed from Hazuribagh garden (now Iqbal Garden) in Srinagar, Kashmir
IT MUST BE MENTIONED THAT PLANT DISPLAYED AT FOI IS NOT CARDOON AT ALL. THE HEADS ARE REDDISH< MUCH SMALLER AND BRACTS DIFFERENT> IT MAY BE A SPECIES OF CARDUUS THISTLE.
--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/