Cirsium lecontei
Cirsium helenioides
black or Le Conte's thistle, Le Conte's thistle
melancholy thistle
1–few, erect, distal 1/2 nearly naked, loosely arachnoid;
branches 0–5(–10), stiffly ascending.
single, erect, ± arachnoid-tomentose;
branches 0 or few, ascending.
blades linear to oblong or narrowly elliptic, 15–25 × 1–4 cm, coarsely toothed to shallowly pinnatifid, lobes undivided or coarsely few-toothed, main spines 3–6 mm, abaxial faces often ± glabrate, loosely arachnoid when young, adaxial glabrous or sparingly villous with coarse, multicellular trichomes;
basal sometimes absent at flowering, petiolate;
principal cauline sessile, progressively reduced distally, bases clasping or ± decurrent;
distal cauline few, widely separated, bractlike.
oblong to broadly lanceolate, 20–40 × 4–8 cm, finely spinulose-dentate or proximal cauline pinnatifid, lobes undivided, finely spinulose-dentate, main spines 1–2 mm, abaxial faces white-tomentose (with non-septate trichomes), adaxial glabrous;
basal present at flowering, petiolate, bases tapered;
cauline sessile, reduced distally, bases clasping, not decurrent;
distal (few, well separated), oblong or linear, the uppermost reduced to linear bracts.
5–30 cm (elevated above cauline leaves, not subtended by ring of involucre-like bracts).
2–10(–30) cm (elevated above distal leaves).
broadly cylindric to campanulate, 2.5–4 × 1.5–4 cm, loosely arachnoid, ± glabrate.
broadly ovoid, 2–3 × 2–3.5 cm, glabrous or loosely arachnoid.
pink-purple, 22–45 mm, tubes 10–23 mm, throats 8–14 mm, lobes 7–10 mm;
style tips 4–5 mm.
red-purple, 25–30 mm, tubes 10–23 mm, throats 8–14 mm (noticeably wider than tubes), lobes 7–10 mm;
style tips 4–5 mm.
in 6–10 series, imbricate, ovate or lanceolate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with prominent glutinous ridge, outer and middle tightly appressed, margins spinulose-serrulate, spines ascending, 0.5–2 mm;
apices of inner flat, linear- acuminate.
in 8–10 series, imbricate, green, ovate or lanceolate (outer) to linear-lanceolate (inner), abaxial faces with a prominent elongate glutinous ridge, outer and middle tightly appressed, margins entire, apices with ascending, weak spines 0–1 mm;
apices of inner phyllaries attenuate, flat.
borne singly or less commonly 2–5(–10) in open, corymbiform arrays.
borne singly or less commonly 2–5 in terminal clusters.
light brown, 5–5.75 mm, apical collars paler than body, ca. 0.75 mm;
pappi 20–40 mm.
light brown, 3–5 mm, bodies and apical collars concolorous;
pappi 20–30 mm.
= 28, 32.
= 34.
Cirsium lecontei
Cirsium helenioides
Of conservation concern.
Cirsium lecontei occurs on the southern coastal plain. R. J. Moore and C. Frankton (1969) suggested that it originated as a derivative of ancient hybridization between the ancestors of C. horridulum and C. nuttallii. They further suggested a relationship between C. lecontei and C. grahamii of Arizona and hypothesized an ancient dispersal from the southeastern coastal plain to the western cordillera. Although such relationships are possible, I have seen little support for them in my examination of these taxa. I think it is more likely that C. lecontei, C. horridulum, and C. nuttallii originated from a common stock, and that the resemblances between C. lecontei and C. grahamii are a result of convergence.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Cirsium helenioides is one of only two species of the genus that have native populations in the Old World and the flora area. Neither reaches the North American mainland.
The conservation status of Cirsium helenioides is not known; it is known in the flora area only from a single fjord and possibly should be considered of conservation concern.
of conservation concern
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
LA Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
