蓟属

Mill., Gard. Dict. Arb. ed. 4, 1, 1754; emend. Scop., Fl. Carn. 355, 1760; Adans., Fam. 2: 116, p. p. 1763; Endl., Gen. Pl. 477, 1836—1840; DC., Prodr. 6: 634, 1837; Boiss., Fl. Or. 3: 523, p. p. 1875; O. Hoffm. in Pflanzenfam. 4(5): 322, p.p. 1893; Petrak in Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 35: 223, p. p. 1918; Kitam. in Mem. Coll. Sci. Kyoto Univ. Ser. B. 13: 33, p. p. 1937; Charadze in Fl. URSS 28: 51, 1963 ——Cnicus L., Sp. Pl. 826, p. p. 1753; Benth. in Benth. et Hook. f., Gen, Pl. 2: 468, 1873——Carduus L., Sp. Pl. 820, p. p. 1753; Less., Syn. Comp. 9, p. p. 1832——Serratula L., Sp, Pl. 816, p. min. p. 1753——Ascalea Hill, Veg. Syst. 4: 14, p. p. 1762 ——Cephalonolylos Neck., Elem. Bot. 1: 68, 1790 ——Echenais Cass. in Bull. Soc. Philom. Paris, 33, 1818, 4, 1820 et in Dict. Sc. Nat. 14: 170, 1819, 25: 226, 1822; DC., Prodr. 6: 660, 1837; Endl., Gen. pl. 479, 1836-1840——Orthocentron Cass. in Dict. Sc. Nat. 36: 480, 1825——Eriolapis Cass. in Dict. Sc. Nat. 36: 146, 1825——Onotrophe Cass. in Dict. Sc. Nat. 36: 145, 1825——Lophiolepis Cass. in Dict. Sc. Nat. 41: 313, 1826——Breea Less., Syn. Comp. 9, 1832——Sparioptilon Less., Syn. Copm. 10, 1832; DC., Prodr. 6: 621, 1837; Endl., Gen. Pl. 477, 1836-1840——Epitrachys C. Koch in Linnaea 24: 336, 1851——Subgen. Eusirsium Rouy in Bot Rev. Bot. Syst. G6ogr. Bot. 28, 1904.

一年生、二年生或多年生植物，无茎至高大草本，雌雄同株，极少异株。茎分枝或不分枝，叶无毛至有毛，边缘有针刺。头状花序同型，或全部为两性花或全部为雌花，直立，下垂或下倾，小、中等大小或更大，在茎枝顶端排成伞房花序、伞房圆锥花序、总状花序或集成复头状花序，少有单生茎端。总苞卵状、卵圆状、钟状或球形，无毛或被稀疏的蛛丝毛或蛛丝毛极稠密且膨松，或被多细胞的长节毛。总苞片多层，覆瓦状排列或镊合状排列，边缘全缘，无针刺或有缘毛状针刺。花托被稠密的长托毛。小花红色、红紫色，极少为黄色或白色的，檐部与细管部几等长或细管部短,5裂，有时深裂几达檐部的基部。花丝分离，有毛或乳突，极少无毛；花药基部附属物撕裂。花柱分枝基部有毛环。瘦果光滑，压扁，通常有纵条纹，顶端截形或斜截形，有果缘，基底着生面，平。冠毛多层，向内层渐长，全部冠毛刚毛长羽毛状，基部连合成环，整体脱落。

约250-300种，广布欧、亚、北非、北美和中美大陆。我国有50余种，分属8个组中。

模式种：C. heterophyllum (L.) Hill