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Marsh Thistle

Cirsium palustre

Summary 6

Cirsium palustre, the marsh thistle or European swamp thistle, is a herbaceous biennial (or often perennial) species of the genus Cirsium. It is a tall thistle which reaches up to 2 metres (7 ft) in height. The strong stems have few branches and are covered in small spines. In its first year the plant grows as a dense rosette, at first with narrow, entire leaves with spiny, dark purple edges; later, larger leaves are lobed. In the...

Distribution 7

''Cirsium palustre'' occurs from Lake Baikal in Siberia west to the Baltics and Scandinavia and south through Eastern Europe and as far southwest as the Iberian Peninsula. Disjunctively the species is found in parts of northern Algeria. Specific countries of distribution include Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark (including the Faroe Islands), United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Albania, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal.

Description 8

More info for the terms: forb, marsh, monocarpic, pappus, perfect, swamp

This description covers characteristics that may be relevant to fire ecology and is not meant for identification. Keys for identification are available (e.g., [17,19,36,54]).

At maturity, marsh thistle is generally an erect forb with a single branching stem. Plants may reach 6 feet (2 m) when flowering [17]. Stems are spiny and winged because a portion of the leaf blade is attached to the stem. Most plant parts are covered with long sticky hairs [37,54]. Photo © J.C. Schou; Biopix.dk

Marsh thistle is best described as a monocarpic perennial. Plants often reproduce within 2 years but may take longer [19,36,56]. Rosette leaves are long, spiny, and deeply lobed [17,83]. In Jutland, Denmark, many marsh thistle plants remained vegetative for 2 or more years. All plants died after flowering, unless they were damaged during the flowering stage, in which case they regrew the next year [4]. Another researcher reported that marsh thistle generally flowered at 4 years old in its native range (Linkola 1935 cited in [6]). In 2 seashore meadows in Tullgarn, Sweden, most (68-86%) marsh thistles flowered 3 years after germination, while the rest flowered later. In this area, the researcher noted a small number of marsh thistle plants flowering twice [48]. Damage to these plants was not reported, but grazing and trampling were common in the area. (See Vegetative regeneration for another report of marsh thistle flowering in successive years.)   On flowering stems, alternate leaves are 6 to 12 inches (15-30 cm) long near the base but shorter near the top. Leaf spacing is generally much wider near the top than at the base of the plant [17,83]. Spines up to 6 mm long occur along leaf margin lobes [17].

Marsh thistle flower heads also appear spiny [83]. Perfect disk florets occur in heads that develop on short branches at the end of the stem [19,36, 36,79]. Few to many flower heads may be produced [17]. Heads typically measure 0.4 to 0.6 inch (1-1.5 cm) across [79].

Marsh thistle produces achenes that measure between 2.5 and 3.5 mm and are attached to a feathery pappus of fine cottony hairs [17,19,37, 83]. The pappus is typically less than 0.4 inch (1 cm) long [37], and achenes average 2 mg (Grime and others 1988 cited in [28]).

Marsh thistle produces a taproot with clusters of fibrous roots [17, 36]. It lacks rhizomes [54]. In Jutland, Denmark, root development of vegetative marsh thistles was described in detail. Increased root growth coincided with increased leaf growth and increased flowering probability. Twenty-three percent of plants in the 3rd vegetative life stage (described in the table below) flowered the next year, while 79% or more plants in 4th vegetative life stage flowered the next year. All plants died after flowering [4]. Photos ©Steve Garske, Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission
Below- and aboveground growth of marsh thistle in Denmark [4] Stage of vegetative development 2nd vegetative life stage 3rd vegetative life stage 4th vegetative life stage Number of rosette leaves 3-4 3-5 8-18 Leaf width (mm) 19-45 35-73 85-123 Leaf length (mm) 150-360 180-400 300-600 Diameter of taproot (mm) 3.1-5.0 5.5-8.0 11.0-22.0 Length of taproot (mm) 30-50 20-50 30-40 Number of lateral roots 9-18 15-30 30

Similar native species: In the Great Lakes, New England, and eastern Canada, marsh thistle occupies habitat similar to that of the native swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum). Swamp thistle lacks stem spines and produces less spiny-looking flower heads than marsh thistle [83].

Synonym 9

Carduus palustris Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 822. 1753

Habitat characteristics 10

More info for the terms: marsh, peat

Throughout its range, marsh thistle is common in disturbed habitats including roadsides, fields, yards, gardens, and early-seral forests or clearings [36,37,83]. In New England, marsh thistle is considered possible in any moist disturbed area [37]. Marsh thistle also occurs in less disturbed habitats including thickets, damp woods, forest edges, and wetlands [36,37,83].

Climate: In North America, marsh thistle is most common in moist areas with long cold winters [56]. During a survey of major roadways in South Island, New Zealand, marsh thistle was generally restricted to cool, wet areas in a zone where the annual water deficit was less than 2 inches (50 mm) [81].

Climates are described from several European marsh thistle habitats, which may allow for a better prediction of its spread potential in North America. In Europe, marsh thistle populations occur almost as far north as the Arctic Circle, suggesting populations in North America could potentially spread through the boreal forest zone [17]. In southeastern Scotland, marsh thistle is common in grasslands where the average February and July temperatures are 34.2° F (1.2° C) and 57° F (13.9 °C), respectively, and annual precipitation averages 35.2 inches (894 mm) [31]. In south Wales, the climate is mild and oceanic. Temperatures average 39° F (4° C) in February and 59° F (15° C) in July [26]. In the central and northeastern Netherlands, marsh thistle is common in sedge fens where annual precipitation averages 30.1 to 31.7 inches (765-806 mm) [7]. In wet meadow marsh thistle habitats in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, annual precipitation averages 24.4 inches (620 mm), and minimum and maximum temperature averages for July are 52.9° F (11.6° C) and 75.4° F (24.1° C) and for January are 20.8° F (-6.2° C) and 33.1° F (0.6° C) [32].

Elevation: Marsh thistle occurs at elevations from 30 to 2,600 feet (10-800 m) in North America [17].

Soils: In marsh thistle habitats in North America, soils were rarely described in detail. In Canada, marsh thistle grew in organic wetland soils and in coarse gravelly soils along roadsides. Large populations and high densities were often associated with high water tables [41]. Marsh thistle is common in moist, acidic soils in New England [37] and Wisconsin [83].

In Europe, studies of soils in marsh thistle habitats suggest a wider tolerance of soil textures and pH levels than those evident from the few North American studies and sources available as of 2009. In southeastern Scotland, marsh thistle was most common on poorly to very poorly drained, acidic (pH 5-5.5), clay soils [31]. In southwestern England, marsh thistle seedlings emerged from basic soil samples collected from a 45-year-old oak woodland but not from acidic soils collected from the same woodland [80]. However, this study does not necessarily imply an establishment preference for basic soils and could simply be a result of uneven seed dispersal. In an old field in the Geescroft Wilderness area of England, marsh thistle occurred in damp, cool, acidic heavy loams but not in a field described as wet and alkaline [8]. This finding could also be the result of dispersal and not preference. In the western part of the Utrecht Province in the Netherlands, marsh thistle was significantly (P<0.01) more frequent on ditch banks adjacent to fields fertilized with low levels of nitrogen (0-250 kg N/ha/year) than on fields fertilized with high levels of nitrogen (250-500 kg N/ha/year) [77]. Marsh thistle emerged from all organic peat soil samples taken from a "recently" clearcut birch woodland in Germany. Soils were fed with calcium-rich groundwater [5].

Moist conditions are typical in marsh thistle's native habitats, but plants may not tolerate long-term flooding or saturation. In the coastal dune areas of the Netherlands, marsh thistle is common in oneseed hawthorn-European white birch woodlands where ground water occurs at or near the soil surface [70]. In a spring area of Jutland, Denmark, marsh thistle plants did not grow in the wettest areas or on "regularly flushed" springs [4]. Marsh thistle's drought tolerance is likely low. After a 3-month drought, leaves from marsh thistle plants growing in a species-rich, calcareous grassland in Derbyshire, England, had low relative water content. Of leaves of the 31 plant species evaluated, marsh thistle leaves were ranked 6th lowest in relative water content. Monthly precipitation during the drought averaged 43%, 84%, and 26% of long-term monthly averages [11].

Fuels and fire regimes 11

More info for the terms: fire regime, fuel, marsh, organic soils, severity

Fuels: Marsh thistle fuel characteristics and influences on native fuel beds were not described in the available literature (2009).

FIRE REGIMES: Marsh thistle is most common in moist to wet habitats (see Site Characteristics), where fires may be rare and/or burn with low severity. However, on sites with deep organic soils, fires may be infrequent but severe. Altered FIRE REGIMES in areas invaded by marsh thistle habitats were not reported. Fire studies in sites invaded by marsh thistle are needed.

See the Fire Regime Table for further information on FIRE REGIMES of vegetation communities in which marsh thistle may occur.

National nature serve conservation status 12

Canada
Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

Taxonomy 13

More info for the terms: marsh, natural

The scientific name of marsh thistle is Cirsium palustre (L.) Scop. (Asteraceae) [17,19,30,36,54].

Hybrids:
Natural C. palustre × C. arvense hybrids occur in England and other European countries (Sledge 1975 cited in [17]). These hybrids are possible where these species grow together in North America [17].

General description 14

''Cirsium Palustre'' is an extremely spiny thistle that can attain a height of up to two metres. Erect ribbed stems are robust and sturdy, with moderately dense concentrations of spines. The narrow spiky leaves are conspicuously lobed, especially the uppermost; moreover, leaves are near glabrous above, whilst long hairy beneath. Lowest leaves are narrow and elliptical, but the uppermost leaves are lanceolate. Basal rosettes in a colony are so high that they may crowd out competing flora. The species is sexually dimorphic. Marsh Thistle is considered biennial; however, flowering in some habitats does not commence until the plant is five to seven years of age, having strengthened its vegetative stem structure.

The discoid flowerheads are one to two centimetres in diameter. Typically a cluster of heads terminate upper stems, with egg-shaped or cylindric involucres being slightly longer than one centimetre. Flower colour exhibits polymorphism, with purple being the most common manifestation; however, white flowering specimens are not uncommon particularly with increasing elevation such as in the Swiss Alps. Outer bracts are frequently sticky and exhibit a pointed spine. Buff coloured achenes are adorned with a luminous apical collar. Each plant may produce up to 2000 seeds, and seeds may result from self or cross-pollination

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Peter Hanegraaf, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/73879350@N00/93626368/
  2. (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Sumpfkratzdistel_uf1-1-.jpg/460px-Sumpfkratzdistel_uf1-1-.jpg
  3. (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Cirsium_palustre02.jpg/460px-Cirsium_palustre02.jpg
  4. (c) c michael hogan, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4943492309_3108a92fff.jpg
  5. (c) T.Voekler, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Cirsium_palustre_%28Linnaeus%29_Scopoli.JPG/460px-Cirsium_palustre_%28Linnaeus%29_Scopoli.JPG
  6. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium_palustre
  7. (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/7063164
  8. Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/24628157
  9. (c) Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/4955355
  10. Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/24628169
  11. Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/24628170
  12. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/29001986
  13. Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/24628153
  14. (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/7063261

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