Determined according to the botanical key by Rocha Afonso (1976 in Tutin et al.).
Note: Carduus kerneri shows considerable morphological variation across the distribution range, with 4 described subspecies. The plants from Osogovo (Ponikva) show combination of morphometric characteristics present across the variation range, but can not be clearly classified into any of the proposed taxa using the concept provided by Amaral Franco in Tutin et al. (1976). By some traits, such as the peduncles of 1 to 5 (-6) cm long and the tripartite shape of the leaf lobes they approximate subsp. austro-orientalis, but the peduncles are densely arachnoid hairy as in subsp. scardicus. In The Euro+Med Plantbase (Greuter, 2006+) subsp. austro-orientalis is not recognized as separate taxon and is treated as synonymous with subsp. scardicus. By other set of characteristics, such as the larger capitula (up to 30 x 35 mm with involucre up to 20 x 25 mm), the longer apical spines (wing – 1.5 to 3 mm; leaf lobe – up to 2 (-2.5) mm) and the number of cauline leaf lobes – 9 to 14, the plants from Osogovo appear to approximate subsp. kerneri.
Lifeform: Perrenial; hemicryptophyte according to the Raunkiaer system.
Distribution: Native to Europe – from the Balkan Peninsula to Ukraine according to the distribution information provided by the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).
Habitat: Found in grasslands and near streams at elevation of c. 1500 m (Ponikva).
Flowering period: Summer: JUN, JUL.
Locality: Ponikva. Date: 02.07.2023.
Carduus kerneri– habit. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– habit. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– flowering stems with capitula. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– flowering stems with capitula. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– capitula. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– capitula. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– capitulum. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– florets. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– florets. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– involucral bracts. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– involucral bracts. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– peduncles with dense arachnoid indumentum. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– peduncles with dense arachnoid indumentum. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– peduncle and upper-most cauline leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– peduncle and upper-most cauline leaf. The dense arachnoid indumentum decreases towards the stem. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– peduncle and upper-most cauline leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– upper part of stem. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– peduncle and upper-most cauline leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– stem with cauline leaves. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– stem with cauline leaves. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– stem with cauline leaves. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– cauline leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– lower cauline leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– lower cauline leaves. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– lower cauline leaves. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– lower cauline leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– adaxial side of leaf with tripartite lobes. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– adaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– abaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– abaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– stem with wings. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– stem with wings. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– stem with wings. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– stem with wings. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski..Carduus kerneri– basal leaves. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– basal leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– adaxial side of basal leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– abaxial side of basal leaf. Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Locality: Ponikva. Date: 21.07.2023.
Carduus kerneri– habit. Osogovo – Ponikva, 21.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– fruiting capitulum. Osogovo – Ponikva, 21.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– achenes. Osogovo – Ponikva, 21.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– achenes. Osogovo – Ponikva, 21.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– stem with capitula. Scale in cm/mm. Specimen from Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– capitulum. Scale in cm/mm. Specimen from Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– capitulum. Scale in cm/mm. Specimen from Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– floret. Scale in cm/mm. Specimen from Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– floret. Scale in cm/mm. Specimen from Osogovo – Ponikva, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– achenes. Scale in cm/mm. Specimen from Osogovo – Ponikva, 21.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– achenes with papus. Scale in mm. Specimen from Osogovo – Ponikva, 21.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Carduus kerneri– achene with papus. Scale in mm. Specimen from Osogovo – Ponikva, 21.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Carduus kerneri. Greuter, W. (2006+): Compositae (pro parte majore). – In: Greuter, W. & Raab-Straube, E. von (ed.): Compositae. Euro+Med Plantbase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published at https://europlusmed.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/fbd8e3a4-6745-4094-8893-bffae4c8a769 [Accessed 02.01.2024].
Carduus kerneri subsp. scardicus. Greuter, W. (2006+): Compositae (pro parte majore). – In: Greuter, W. & Raab-Straube, E. von (ed.): Compositae. Euro+Med Plantbase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published at https://europlusmed.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/87114446-d0c5-47ca-8c8d-f891c086849e [Accessed 02.01.2024].
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.
