Appearance
The spiny, pinnatilobate leaves grow in a basal rosette approximately 20 cm in diameter. The flowers are produced in a large flowerhead of silvery-white ray florets around a central disc. The disc florets are tubular and yellow-brown in colour. To protect the pollen, the head closes in wet weather, a phenomenon folklore holds to presage forthcoming rain. The flowering time is between August and September.Naming
There are two subspecies:⤷ ''Carlina acaulis'' subsp. ''acaulis'' – inflorescences sessile
⤷ ''Carlina acaulis'' subsp. ''simplex'' – inflorescences with a short stem
Habitat
It prefers chalky soils and dry pastures in environments from valleys up to an altitude of 2,800 m.Uses
The rhizome contains a number of essential oils, in particular the antibacterial carlina oxide. The root was formerly employed in herbal medicine as a diuretic and cold remedy.While young, the flowerhead bud can be cooked and eaten in a similar manner to the Globe artichoke, which earned it the nickname of ''hunter's bread''.
It is sometimes cultivated as a rockery plant, or dried and hung as a house decoration.
In Basque culture it was traditionally used as symbol of good fortune, fixed into the frontal door of the house and was given by the goddess Mari.
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