About Echinops spinosissimus Turra
Echinops spinosissimus Turra, commonly known as the spiny globe thistle, is a European plant species belonging to the tribe Cardueae of the family Asteraceae. This species is native to southeastern Europe including Sicily, Apulia, Greece, Albania, and the western Balkans, northern Africa, and southwest Asia, with its native range extending east as far as Iran. Echinops spinosissimus is a branching perennial herb that grows up to 80 cm (2 feet) tall. Its leaves are divided into narrow triangular lobes, and each lobe bears a slender but hard spine at the tip. The plant produces nearly spherical flower heads that contain many white or pale lavender disc florets, and do not produce any ray florets. Recognized subspecies of Echinops spinosissimus are: Echinops spinosissimus subsp. bithynicus (Boiss.) Greuter, Echinops spinosissimus subsp. bovei (Boiss.) Greuter, Echinops spinosissimus subsp. fontqueri (Pau) Greuter, Echinops spinosissimus subsp. macrolepis (Boiss.) Greuter, Echinops spinosissimus subsp. neumayeri (Vis.) Kožuharov, and Echinops spinosissimus subsp. spinosissimus.
