The difference between big thistle and small thistle

Large thistle is also called thorn thistle, mountain radish, etc., small thistle is also known as thorn vegetable, thorn bud, thorn horn, etc., the varieties of large thistle and small thistle on the market are not only complex, but also more chaotic, and there are many varieties with the same name. In some areas, large thistles and small thistles are inverted, while in other areas, there is no distinction between large and small thistles, all of which are made by the same plant. Let's take a look at the difference between big thistles and small thistles.

The difference between large thistle and small thistle

1. Thistle: thistle is a perennial herb with spindle-shaped or radish-shaped roots up to 7 mm in diameter. Stem erect, 30-80 cm tall, branched or unbranched, all stem branches angled, densely or sparsely multicellular long nodal hairs, grayish white on the lower part of the capitate inflorescence, densely tomentose and multicellular nodal hairs.

2. Small thistle: small thistle is a perennial herb, the underground part is often larger than the aboveground part, and has long rhizomes. Stems erect, young stems covered with white arachnoid hairs, angled, 30-80 cm high, base 3-5 mm in diam., sometimes up to 1 cm in diameter, distally branched, inflorescence branches glabrous or thinly tomentose.

The difference between large thistle and small thistle leaves

1. Large thistle: large thistle basal leaves are large, fully ovate, long Obovate, elliptic or long oval, 8 cm long 20 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, pinnately parted or several parted, base attenuated into a short or long pterygoid, with needles and teeth at the edge of the stalk. All stems and leaves are of the same color on both sides, green, with sparse multicellular long or short nodal hairs or few glabrous along the veins on both sides.

2. Small thistle: small thistle basal leaves and middle stems and leaves elliptic, long elliptic or elliptic oblanceolate, apex obtuse or rounded, base cuneate, sometimes with a very short petiole, usually without petiole, all stems and leaves are of the same color on both sides, green or light below, glabrous on both sides, rarely discolored on both sides.

The difference between large thistle and small thistle

1. Thistle: large thistle head erect, involucral bracts bell-shaped, involucral bracts about 6 layers, imbricate arrangement, gradually growing to the inner layer, outer layer and middle layer ovate-triangular to long-triangular, tip long acuminate, with needles 1-2 mm long, inner layer lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 1.5-2 cm long and 2-3 mm wide, apex acuminate with soft needles, all bracts have puberulent hairs on the outside and mucous glands along the middle ribs. Florets red or purple.

2. Small thistle: small thistle heads solitary stem tip, or plants with a few or more heads arranged in corymbose inflorescences at the top of stem branches, involucral bracts ovate, long ovate or ovoid, 1.5 × 2 cm in diameter. Involucral bracts ca. 6 layers, imbricate arrangement, growing toward inner layer, outer layer and middle layer 1.5 × 2 mm wide, inner layer and innermost layer long elliptic to linear, middle and outer bract tip with short needles less than 0.5 mm long, inner and innermost layer acuminate, membranous, short needling. Florets purplish red or white.

The difference between large thistle and small thistle

1. Thistle: achene compressed, oblique cuneate-oblanceolate, 4 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, tip obliquely truncate. Crown hairs light brown, multi-layered, base United into rings, deciduous as a whole, crown bristles long feathery, up to 2 cm long, inner layer spindle-shaped to the tip or tapering. Flowering and fruiting period from April to November.

2. Small thistle: small thistle achene yellowish, elliptic or obliquely elliptic, compressed, 3 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, tip obliquely truncate. Crown hairs dirty white, multi-layered, deciduous as a whole, crown bristles long feathery, 3.5 cm long, tip tapering. The flowering and fruiting period is from May to September.

Summary: large thistle and small thistle in the medicinal efficacy of the difference above, Chinese medicine clinical that large and small thistle have cool blood and hemostatic effect, big thistle scattered force is better, carbuncle effect is better than small thistle, the effect of small thistle is mainly to break blood. Although the size of thistle looks similar, but the efficacy is slightly different, so it should be different from each other, should not be mixed.