Weed
blessed milkthistle, spotted thistle, variegated thistle, milk thistle
AcheneAchene:
A dry, hard, one-chambered, one-seeded indehiscent fruit, as in buckwheat (Fagopyrum) or sunflower (Helianthus). The fruit wall is not united with the seed coat.
Curved obovate
Yellow to black, with various mixtures of minute dark brown flecks
Smooth with minute transverseTransverse:
Set crosswise, crossing or at right angles.
wavy ridges
Collar is reduced to a minute dark brown rim; style stout.
Extreme differences of color among achenesAchene:
A dry, hard, one-chambered, one-seeded indehiscent fruit, as in buckwheat (Fagopyrum) or sunflower (Helianthus). The fruit wall is not united with the seed coat.. Although shiny-textured, transverseTransverse:
Set crosswise, crossing or at right angles.
wavy lines can be seen on darker achenesAchene:
A dry, hard, one-chambered, one-seeded indehiscent fruit, as in buckwheat (Fagopyrum) or sunflower (Helianthus). The fruit wall is not united with the seed coat..
State Noxious Weed: Texas
Not included
For more information, see ISMA fact sheet.
Asteraceae
Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.
Carduus marianus L.
Mariana mariana (L.) Hill, nom. inval.
