Carduus nutans L. subsp. nutans

Posted byTrajche DimitrovskiPosted inCompositae

Taxonomy: Fam. Compositae// Genus: Carduus // Species: Carduus nutans L.// Subspecies: Carduus nutans L. subsp. nutans.

Determined according to the botanical key provided by Rocha Afonso (1976 in Tutin et al.).

Lifeform: Biennial plant.

Distribution:  Native from Europe to Siberia and northwest China (Xinjiang) according to the distribution information provided by the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).

Habitat: Open and dry habitats- pastures, sparse shrubland, rocky terrains.

Flowering period: Late spring to summer (MAY, JUN, JUL).

Locality: gorge of the Kochanska River. Date: 20.06.2021.

   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – habit. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – habit. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – habit. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – habit. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – habit. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – developing capitulum. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – capitulum. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – capitulum. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – capitulum. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – capitulum. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – capitulum. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – capitulum. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – fruiting capitulum. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – achenes. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – cauline lef. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – cauline leaves. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – lower cauline leaves. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – basal and lower cauline leaves. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
   Carduus nutans subsp. nutans – plant base with basal and lower cauline leaves. Gorges of “Kochanska” River, 20.06.2021. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

References:

Carduus nutans subsp. nutans. Greuter, W. 2006+: Compositae (pro parte majore). – In: Greuter, W. & Raab-Straube, E. von, Compositae. Euro+Med PlantBase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published at https://europlusmed.org/. https://europlusmed.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/72a9a6d4-2906-4550-872e-9f59eaca0fc2  [Accessed 07.03.2026].

Carduus nutans subsp. nutans. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:51000087-1 [Accessed 06.11.2021].

do Amaral Franco, J.; key prepared by Rocha Afonso, M.L. 1976. Carduus L. In Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A. (eds.), Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 220–232.

Last update: 07.03.2026.