Species of thistle
Cirsium eatonii
Cirsium eatonii var. clokeyi in Southern Nevada
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
Clade :
Tracheophytes
Clade :
Angiosperms
Clade :
Eudicots
Clade :
Asterids
Order:
Asterales
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Cirsium
Species:
C. eatonii
Binomial name
Cirsium eatonii
Synonyms [1]
Carduus leiocarpus A.Heller
Carduus leiocephalus (D.C.Eaton) A.Heller
Cirsium eatonii var. harrisonii S.L.Welsh
Cirsium eriocephalum var. leiocephalum D.C.Eaton
Cnicus eatonii A.Gray
Carduus hookerianus var. eriocephalus (A.Gray) A.Nelson, syn of var. eriocephalum
Carduus scopulorum Greene, syn of var. eriocephalum
Cirsium eriocephalum A.Gray 1864 not Wallr. 1840, syn of var. eriocephalum
Cirsium hookerianum var. eriocephalum (A.Gray) A.Nelson, syn of var. eriocephalum
Cirsium scopulorum (Greene) Cockerell, syn of var. eriocephalum
Cirsium scopulorum (Greene) Cockerell ex Daniels, syn of var. eriocephalum
Cnicus eriocephalus A.Gray, syn of var. eriocephalum
Carduus hesperius A.Heller, syn of var. hesperium
Carduus hookerianus var. hesperius (Eastw.) A.Nelson, syn of var. hesperium
Cirsium hesperium (Eastw.) Petr., syn of var. hesperium
Cnicus hesperius Eastw., syn of var. hesperium
Carduus polyphyllus Rydb., syn of var. murdockii
Carduus tweedyi Rydb., syn of var. murdockii
Cirsium murdockii (S.L.Welsh) Cronquist, syn of var. murdockii
Cirsium polyphyllum (Rydb.) Petr., syn of var. murdockii
Cirsium tweedyi (Rydb.) Petr., syn of var. murdockii
Cirsium peckii L.F.Hend., syn of var. peckii
Cirsium eatonii , commonly known as Eaton's thistle or mountaintop thistle , is a North American species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae .[2] [3]
The species has been found in Idaho , Montana , New Mexico , Wyoming , Nevada , Utah and Colorado .[4]
Description
Cirsium eatonii is highly variable. It is an erect herb up to 150 cm (60 inches or 5 feet) tall in some populations. The entire foliage is more or less spiny. One plant produces several flower heads with pink to purple or yellow flowers. The species grows at high elevations in grasslands, sagebrush steppes, open savannahs, etc.[3]
Varieties[1] [3] A number of varieties have been identified, which include:
Cirsium eatonii var. clokeyi - Clokey thistle, Spring Mountains thistle, white-spine thistle. This variety is rare and uncommon. - Nevada [5]
Cirsium eatonii var. eatonii - Nevada , Utah
Cirsium eatonii var. eriocephalum - alpine thistle, mountain thistle - Colorado , New Mexico , Utah
Cirsium eatonii var. hesperium - tall mountain thistle - Colorado
Cirsium eatonii var. murdockii - northern mountain thistle - Colorado , Idaho , Montana , Nevada , Utah , Wyoming
Cirsium eatonii var. peckii - ghost thistle, Steens Mountain thistle - Nevada , Oregon
Cirsium eatonii var. viperinum - Snake Range thistle - Nevada Var. eriocephalum in northern New Mexico .