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Tag Archives: Dwarf thistle

Wild word: sessile

07 Sunday Aug 2022

Posted by sconzani in plants, wildflowers

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Tags

British wildflowers, Cirsium acaule, Dwarf thistle, sessile, thistle, thistle species

Sessile: adjective; Botany zoology (of a plant or animal structure) attached directly by its base without a stalk or peduncle (Oxford Dictionary).
Dwarf thistles (Cirsium acaule) are also known as Stemless thistles and are a good example of a sessile plant. The only local patch of Dwarf thistles I know is flourishing this year, as their preference is for ‘dry grassy habitats’ on ‘calcareous soils’ (Naturespot website).

220807 dwarf thistles

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199/365 Short and prickly

18 Thursday Jul 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, nature, plants, wildflowers

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, British flora, Cirsium acaule, Cosmeston, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Dwarf thistle, thistle, wildflowers

During today’s walk around Cosmeston I spotted a plant I’ve not seen before – or, at least, I’ve not consciously noticed before. It’s so easy to just walk over the things growing under your feet – although, in this case, if you were walking barefoot you couldn’t help but notice it!

190718 dwarf thistle (1)

It’s the Dwarf thistle (Cirsium acaule), and it’s easily identifiable as its single flower almost completely lacks a stem – the gorgeous purple flower sits right on top of a rosette of wavy and spiny edged leaves.

190718 dwarf thistle (4)
190718 dwarf thistle (2)

This thistle prefers to grow in low grasslands, particularly on calcareous soils, so it does tend to be quite localised but can be found in England as far north as Yorkshire and in south Wales.

190718 dwarf thistle (3)

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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