Asteraceae FAMILY

Silybum marianum

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

5/5

Safety & Hazards

Under certain circumstances the plant can concentrate considerable amounts of nitrate in its foliage. This tends to be most serious when heavy rainfall follows a prolonged drought; when heavy dressings of fertiliser are applied to crops; or after plants have been treated with herbicide. The nitrate is microbially reduced to nitrite in the gut - this then reacts with haemoglobin in the blood, leading to a condition known as methaemoglobinaemia, which causes affected animals to stagger, vomit and have laboured breathing, resulting in death if not treated[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].

Botanical Description

Silybum marianum is an annual to biennial plant producing a rosette of leaves in its first year of growth followed by a branched flowering stem that can be 50 - 200cm tall[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. , 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ]. The plant has a wide range of traditional uses as a food and a medicine - it is often harvested from the wild and has a history of cultivation as a minor crop for food, oil and, more commonly, as a medicine. Modern research has shown that the plant is a very effective medicine, especially in the treatment of liver conditions and poisoning. The plant is also sometimes grown as an ornamental. Silybum marianum has been spread by human activity, especially through cultivation as a medicinal plant. It has become a seriously invasive weed in Australia, parts of the USA and South America, South Africa and in New Zealand. It invades pastures where, once established, it can eliminate most other plant species. It can also hinder movement of livestock and people. It is a weed of cultivated land as well as being a nuisance along roadsides and in waste areas. In addition to problems and injuries caused by its spiny thistles, it can, under certain conditions, accumulate nitrogen and become seriously toxic to livestock[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeMacaronesia (Madeira), throughout the Mediterranean region and eastwards through Asia to southeastern Siberia, Afghanistan and northern India

HabitatRoadsides, pastures and waste places, often close to the sea, especially if the ground is dry and rocky[ 5 Title Food for Free. Publication Author Mabey. R. Publisher Collins Year 1974 ISBN 0-00-219060-5 Description Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants. , 15 Title Edible Ornamental Garden. Publication Author Bryan. J. and Castle. C. Publisher Pitman Publishing Year 1976 ISBN 0-273-00098-5 Description A small book with interesting ideas for edible plants in the ornamental garden. , 165 Title The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism. Publication Author Mills. S. Y. Publisher Year ISBN Description An excellent small herbal. , 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ].