Taxonomy and Naming
Three subspecies are accepted:
- Onopordum acanthium subsp. acanthium. Most of the species' range.
- Onopordum acanthium subsp. gautieri (Rouy) Franco. France, Spain.
- Onopordum acanthium subsp. parnassicum (Boiss. & Heldr.) Nyman. Greece.
The botanical name is derived from the Ancient Greek words onos (donkey), perdo (to consume), and acanthos (thorn), meaning 'thorny donkey food'.
The common name of Cotton thistle derives from the cotton-like hairs on the leaves. Other names include Scots thistle or Scottish thistle, heraldic thistle and woolly thistle;. The name Scots thistle comes from its status as the national emblem of Scotland.
Read more about this topic: Onopordum Acanthium
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