Cynara scolymus, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 249

6. C. scolymus L. , Sp. Pl. 827 (1753).

Like 5 but stems up to 200 cm, glabrescent; leaves up to 80 x 40 cm, soft, glabrescent above and greyish-tomentose beneath, with wide, unarmed or mucronulate segments; involucre 60-70 x 70-80 mm, the bracts fleshy, with a flattish apical appendage; appendage 15-40 x 12-35 mm, ovate to triangular, truncate, cuspidate or sinuate-truncate. Unknown in the wild state, but widely cultivated on a large scale in S., W. & C. Europe, and in gardens elsewhere, for the immature capitula, which are eaten as a vegetable (artichoke'). [Au Be Co Cr Cz Ga Gr He Ho Hs It Ju Lu Rm Rs (W) Sa Si.] (Derived from 5, perhaps originally in S. W. Europe or N. Africa.)