blessed thistle

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.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.
See more at Wikipedia.org...

Thistle /this·tle/ any of a number of weedy plants of the family Compositae, having spiny leaves and flower heads surrounded by spiny bracts. [more]Blessed thistle - Community and Resources

Noun
1. tall Old World biennial thistle with large clasping white-blotched leaves and purple flower heads; naturalized in California and South America
(synonym) milk thistle, lady's thistle, Our Lady's mild thistle, holy thistle, Silybum marianum
(hypernym) herb, herbaceous plant
(member-holonym) Silybum, genus Silybum
2. annual of Mediterranean to Portugal having hairy stems and minutely spiny-toothed leaves and large heads of yellow flowers
(synonym) sweet sultan, Cnicus benedictus
(hypernym) thistle
(member-holonym) Cnicus, genus Cnicus

See under Thistle.
  

Scientific Name: Cnicus benedictus. A plant whose leaves, stems, and flowers have been used in some cultures to treat certain medical problems. Blessed thistle may have anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. Also called St. Benedict's thistle, cardin, holy thistle, and spotted thistle.