Cnicus

Cnicus benedictus

File:Cnicus benedictus flor.jpg

Scientific classification
| Kingdom:  | Plantae

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Division:  | Magnoliophyta

Class:  | Magnoliopsida

Order:  | Asterales

Family:  | Asteraceae

Genus:  | Cnicus

Species:  | C. benedictus

Binomial name
Cnicus benedictus

Cnicus benedictus (Blessed Thistle), the sole species in the genus Cnicus, is a thistle-like plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the Mediterranean region, from Portugal north to southern France and east to Turkey. It is also sometimes called Cursed Thistle.

File:Koeh-043.jpg19th century illustration

It is an annual plant growing to 60 cm tall, with leathery, hairy leaves up to 30 cm long and 8 cm broad, with small spines on the margins. The flowers are yellow, produced in a dense flowerhead (capitulum) 3-4 cm diameter, surrounded by numerous spiny basal bracts.

The related genus Notobasis is included in Cnicus by some botanists; it differs in slender, much spinier leaves, and purple flowers.

## Contents

* 1 Medical uses
* 2 Edibility
* 3 See also
* 4 References

## Medical uses

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It has sometimes been used as a herb to promote lactation. The crude drug contains about 0.2% cnicin.

It is a compontent in Bitters formulas which used to treat digestive issues.

## Edibility

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These thistles are not considered edible, unlike Cirsium, Arctium and Onocordum species; the leaves are considered unpalatable if not bitter.

## See also

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* Blessed milk thistle

## References

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* Flora Europaea: Cnicus
* Healthtouch Online: HOLY THISTLE

| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cnicus benedictus.

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Template:Asteraceae-stub

cs:Benedikt lékařský de:Benediktenkraut hu:Benedekfű sq:Cnuku