Carlina vulgaris
species of plant
Carlina vulgaris, the carline thistle, is a plant species of the genus Carlina.
It is a biennial that grows on limestone, chalky or other alkaline grasslands or dunes. The flowers are clusters of very small brown florets surrounded by brown-golden bracts. Both feel dry and spiky, so at first glance the plants appear to be dying when in full flower. The green leaves are spiny and may have hairs. Plants are often short but can reach 60 cm.
It originates from Europe, north Africa and Asia but is also found in other parts of the world such as North America. It is considered an invasive species in parts of its introduced range.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Carlina vulgaris” is species of plant. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Carlina, vulgaris and species, not as a finished interpretation.
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The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Feb 4, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1534804.
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This entry incorporates text from “Carlina vulgaris” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.