«Cardabelle» or carline with acanthifolia leaves (Carline acanthifolia)

Family : Compositae (Compositae or Asteraceae)

Genus :  Carlina

Description :

Persistent plant from the family of the thistles (but also from the daisy, the globe artichoke, or the dandelion). It is a very decorative plant thanks to its capitule ( group of tubular flowers tight the ones against the others), and to its corona of bract of a bright straw yellow. Its leaves " en rosace ", are very denticulate and thorny
It grows on a level with the ground in dry meadows and in the rocky grounds of our garrigues, but also in the mountains of the back country. Often, it can be found hung up at the doors of the Caussenard barns, for once dry, it has a great power of resistance
In the western Europe they are fine species of Carline and two subspecies of Cardabelle.