Melancholy Thistle

Melancholy Thistle in a meadow,
Upper Teasdale

Flowerhead

Florets

Purple tinged bracts

Toothed, stalked lower leaf

Upper leaves, unstalked, stem clasping

White lower surface of leaves

Flower stems
Cirsium helenioides
Asteraceae
June to August
It is found predominantly in the hills of the Lake District,
the Pennines and the Peak District.
For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland
It grows in upland hay meadows, roadside verges and by
streams.
It may be in decline due to loss of habitat.
Melancholy Thistle is a native, stoloniferous herb
growing up to 1.2m.
Flowerheads are on grooved, cottony, un-winged stems,
usually solitary and up to 3.5cm across.
Florets are red-purple and the pappus is white.
The bracts are lanceolate and edged with purple.
The basal leaves are elliptic-lanceolate, toothed, stalked
and up to 40cm.
Stem leaves are smaller and variously clasp the stem.
The upper surfaces of the leaves are green and the lower
surfaces, white.
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