Distaff Thistle

Distaff thistle ( Carlina or Atractylis gummifera) is a sub-Mediterranean species, amply diffused in Greece and in North Africa.
The name of the genus Atractylis comes from the Greek “atractos”, meaning spindle, distaff to spin (in the past the stem of some species of the genus was used for fabricating the distaffs); the name of the species, gummifera comes from the Latin “cummis” = rubber and “fero” = to carry, due to the gummy contents of the root.
The distaff thistle is a perennial, 5-20 cm tall, herbaceous plant, the big and woody root produces a sweetish, gummy and aromatic juice.
Dark pink or violet compound flower. The flower head is unique, of the diameter of 3-5 cm surrounded by spiny involucral leaves. Rosette spiny basal leaves.
The flowering takes place, typically, by the end of summer, when the leaves are by then dried. It flowers from August to September, from 0 to 700 m of altitude, on the road sides, garrigues and arid locations.