Galactites

The botanical kind Galactites is primarily represented by the species Galactites elegans , the milky thistle , a plant of origin the Mediterranean near to the thistles and Cirse S (synonymous: Galactites tomentosa ). One also knows an hybrid, Galactites × souliei , natural crossing of Galactites elegans and Echinops ritro . The scientific name of the kind evokes in Greek milk, allusion to the milky color of the stems and especially to the veins blanchâtres of the sheets.

Description of Galactites elegans

Ecology and habitat

Plante annual or bi-annual especially presents in the west of the Mediterranean basin (Portugal, Spain, Languedoc-Roussillon), but which can go up until the Saône-et-Loire and which one also meets, less frequent, along the coasts Atlantique S. She appreciates the sandy and dry grounds, with a light preference for the acid grounds. It is a Adventice plantations of olive-tree S or Vigne S.

Floraison: from April at August
Pollination: entomogame
Dissemination: anémochore

General and vegetative morphology

Except for the upper part of the stem, all the plant is very thorny. Its height, very variable, goes from 20 to 80 cm. Stem very ramified in top, tomenteuse. The Feuille S long and narrow, are lancéolées, pennatipartites, with lancéolés segments finished by spines. Veins and spots blanchâtres, pointing out the marblings or the veins of plants like Silybum marianum or Scolymus maculatus .

Floral morphology

The flowerheads rather large (3 cm diameter approximately), with an involucre made of many bractées set up, are finished by long spines, often surrounded by a gossamer-like veil. All the Fleur S are tubulées. The external ones large and radiant, of purple or purplished color (there exist also specimens with almost white flowers), deads, are deeply cut out in five rigid thin straps. Interior, the smaller, is hermaphrodites.

Fruit and seeds

The Fruit S are Akène S brown and glabrous, about cylindrical, bearing of the brushes with feathery silks.

References

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