Cynara scolymus
| Artichoke | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Cynara |
| Species: | |
| Variety: | C. c. var. scolymus |
| Trinomial name | |
| Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus | |
The globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus), also known by the names French artichoke and green artichoke in the U.S., is a variety of a species of thistle cultivated as a food.
The edible portion of the plant consists of the flower buds before the flowers come into bloom. The budding artichoke flower-head is a cluster of many budding small flowers (an inflorescence), together with many bracts, on an edible base. Once the buds bloom, the structure changes to a coarse, barely edible form. Another variety of the same species is the cardoon, a perennial plant native to the Mediterranean region. Both wild forms and cultivated varieties (cultivars) exist.
English
Etymology
From Northern Italian articiocco, from Provençal archichaut, arquichaut, from Old Spanish alcarchofa, from Andalusian Arabic الْخَرْشُوف (al-ẖaršūf), from Arabic الْخُرْشُوف (al-ḵuršūf), definite form of خُرْشُوف (ḵuršūf).
Pronunciation
- (rhotic) IPA(key): /ˈɑɹ.tɪˌtʃəʊk/
- (non-rhotic) IPA(key): /ˈɑː.tɪˌtʃəʊk/
Noun
artichoke
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