TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Print edition is available from the University of California Press

	The second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) is available from the University of California Press
	See also the Jepson eFlora, which parallels the Second Edition

ASTERACEAE

SUNFLOWER FAMILY

David J. Keil, Family Editor and author, except as specified

Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate to whorled, simple to compound
Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower, 1–many, generally arrayed in cymes, generally subtended by ± calyx-like involucre; flowers 1–many per head
Flowers bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, ± small, of several types; calyx 0 or modified into pappus of bristles, scales, or awns, which is generally persistent in fruit; corolla radial or bilateral (rarely 0), lobes generally (0)4–5; stamens 4–5, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, often appendaged at tips, bases, or both, filaments generally free, generally attached to corolla near throat; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, style 1, branches 2, generally hair-tufted at tip, stigmas 2, generally on inside of style branches
Fruit: achene, cylindric to ovoid, generally deciduous with pappus attached
Genera in family: ± 1300 genera, 21,000 species (largest family of dicots): worldwide. Largest family in CA. Also see tribal key to CA genera: Strother 1997 Madroño 44(1):1–28. See glossary p. 25 for illustrations of general family characteristics.

CIRSIUM

THISTLE

David J. Keil and Charles E. Turner

Annual to perennial herb (sometimes short-lived, dying after flowering once)
Stem generally erect
Leaves: lower generally tapered or petioled, often wavy-margined, generally pinnately lobed, ± dentate, lobes and teeth spine-tipped, margin generally spiny-ciliate, glabrous to tomentose; upper generally sessile, ± reduced
Inflorescence: heads discoid, 1–many; involucre cylindric to spheric; phyllaries many, graduated in several series, outer spine-tipped; receptacle flat, long-bristly
Flowers generally many; corollas ± bilateral, white to red or purple, tube long, slender, lobes linear; anther bases sharply sagittate, tips oblong; style tip with slightly swollen node, appendage (above node) long, cylindric, branches very short
Fruit ovoid, glabrous; scar slightly angled; pappus bristles many, plumose, ± persistent or falling in ring
Species in genus: ± 200 species: North America, Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: thistle)
Taxa difficult, incompletely differentiated, hybridize.

Native

C. rhothophilum S.F. Blake

SURF THISTLE

Biennial (or short-lived perennial herb) 1–10 dm, ± fleshy, bush-like or low, mounded, gray-tomentose throughout; hairs appressed, felt-like
Stem 1–several
Leaves generally very strongly wavy; lower 10–25 cm, wing-petioled, entire or ± widely lobed, lobes entire or few-toothed, main spines 1–4 mm; cauline gradually reduced, well-distributed, upper sessile, clasping, ± lobed, often spinier than lower, spines < 8 mm
Inflorescence: heads 1–several, ± clustered, closely subtended by uppermost leaves; peduncles 0–7 cm; involucres 3–4 cm, 4–6 cm diam, hemispheric or bell-shaped; phyllaries linear-lanceolate, persistently tomentose, outer and middle spiny-ciliate, spine tips 2–5 mm
Flowers: corollas 20–25 mm, white to pale yellow, tube 11–13 mm, throat 5–6 mm, lobes 5–8 mm; anthers brown
Fruit 5–7 mm, light-brown to black, thick or ± compressed; pappus 15–20 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=34
Ecology: Dunes, bluffs
Elevation: < 20 m.
Bioregional distribution: s Central Coast (s San Luis Obispo and n Santa Barbara cos.).