Spiny Tatarnik

It is found in the European part of Russia , in the Baltic states , the northern part of Central Asia , and in the Caucasus .

In cultivated areas is a widespread weed .

Biennial herbaceous spiny plant, can grow up to 200 cm.

The root is spindle-shaped, branched.

The stem is erect, winged, cobwebby, in the upper part branched. Wings up to 1.5 cm wide, uneven along the edge with prominent long (3-6 mm) needle-shaped yellow spikes.

Leaves are alternating, sessile, down-flowing, seroputinous on both sides, 12-30 cm long, decreasing to the apex of the stem. The lower leaves are elliptical, pinnate lobed, with wide triangular serrated lobes; upper leaves are lanceolate or oblong; basal leaves taper to the base, passing into the petiole.

The flowers are tubular, bisexual. A cup in the form of a crest of hairs . Corolla purple with five deeply divided lobes. Stamens (among five) with anthers fused into the tube. Pestle with single-ovary lower ovary. The flowers are collected in spherical baskets 3-5 cm wide, 1-3 baskets on the tops of the stem and lateral shoots. The basket wrapper is flattened-pitcher-like, at first cobwebly, then bare, with green leaflets, ciliary on the edges, ovate at the base, awl-shaped at the apex with a strong yellow tip. The outer leaves are bent down. The common bed of the basket is pitted, pits along the edges are serrated.

The chemical composition of tatarnik has been little studied. Seeds contain fatty oil (30-35%) and alkaloids (up to 0.1%); alkaloids (0.05%) and sesquiterpene lactone arkciopikrin were found in the leaves. Flower baskets and leafy shoots of plants are used. This plant is eaten. For this purpose, plants are harvested in spring, when their height does not exceed 20 cm. Salads , soups and borscht are prepared from young shoots and leaves.

It is used in folk medicine for the treatment of malignant tumors and purulent wounds. . In some countries, prickly tartar is used to prevent relapse after surgical removal of malignant tumors, with skin cancer, lupus, scrofula . Tatarny drugs are low toxic. In small doses, they excite the central nervous system , in large doses they inhibit. They have a cardiotonic effect, increase the strength of heart contractions, narrow peripheral vessels, increase blood pressure , increase diuresis , increase smooth muscle tone , have a hemostatic and bactericidal effect.

During flowering in July – August it gives honey bees a lot of nectar ^[1] .

• Gubanov I.A. et al. 1397. Onopordum acanthium L. - Spiny tatarnik // Illustrated identifier of plants in Central Russia. In 3 t . - M .: T-in scientific. ed. KMK, Institute of Technology. ISS., 2004. - T. 3. Angiosperms (dicotyledonous: dicotyledonous). - S. 461. - ISBN 5-87317-163-7 .
• T. A. Goncharova . Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants ^{[ specify ]}

• Spiny Tatarnik (English) : information on the GRIN website.