musk thistle

(Carduus nutans)

Overview
musk thistle
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
           
 
Description
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 22, 24, 28, 29, 30.

 
  5/15/2023      
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Asterales (sunflowers, bellflowers, fanflowers, and allies)  
 

Family

Asteraceae (sunflowers, daisies, asters, and allies)  
  Subfamily Carduoideae (thistles and allies)  
  Tribe Cardueae  
  Subtribe Carduinae (thistles and burdocks)  
  Genus Carduus (plumeless thistles)  
       
 

Cardueae is a synonym of the tribe name. Cynareae was published first and has precedence. Nevertheless, most sources use the name Cardueae for the tribe.

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. alpicola)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. falcatoincurvus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. granatensis)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. leio)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. leiophyllus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. litoralis)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. macrocephalus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. macrolepis)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. maurus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. micropterus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. numidicus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. nutans)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. perspinosus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. platylepis)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. platypus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. scabrisquamus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. siculus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. taygeteus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. trojanus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans var. cossonianus)

musk thistle (Carduus nutans var. sporadum)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

musk thistle

nodding plumeless thistle

nodding plumeless-thistle

nodding thistle

plumeless thistle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this plant.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

Alfredo Colon

 
    musk thistle      
           
 

The Musk Thistle, Carduus nutans, in different phases

 
    musk thistle   musk thistle  
           
    musk thistle   musk thistle  
           
    musk thistle      
 

Laura Baxley

 
    musk thistle      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    musk thistle   musk thistle  
           
    musk thistle   musk thistle  
           
    musk thistle      

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Carduus nutans
Susanne Wiik
 
  Carduus nutans  
 
About

Nikketistel, Nodding thistle

 
  Carduus nutans
Matt Lavin
 
  Carduus nutans  
 
About

Introduced annual to biennial herb with stems upwards of 1.5 m tall, the capillary bristles reveal this is not a species of Cirsium and the broad involucral bracts (phyllaries), over 2 mm wide, readily distinguish this species, common in disturbed sites from low elevation to mountain meadows.

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this plant.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Nodding Thistle (Carduus Nutans) / Musk Thistle - 2012-06-12
W3stlander
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 14, 2012

The Musk thistle or Nodding thistle (Carduus nutans) is a member of the sunflower family Asteraceae.

-------------
De knikkende distel (Carduus nutans) is een plant uit de composietenfamilie (Asteraceae)

   
  Weed of the Week #758-Musk Thistle (Air Date 10/14/12)
AgPhD's channel
 
   
 
About

Published on Oct 17, 2012

It's our Weed of the Week, Musk Thistle

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this plant.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Alfredo Colon
8/7/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

musk thistle  
  Laura Baxley
7/11/2018

Location: Hole-in-the-Mountain Prairie

musk thistle  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars

 

Created:

Last Updated:

© MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.

About Us

Privacy Policy

Contact Us