blessed thistle

blessed thistle

n.

An annual, yellow-flowered, thistlelike Mediterranean herb (Cnicus benedictus) in the composite family, used in herbal medicine.

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[From its use by monks in the Middle Ages.]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	blessed thistle - tall Old World biennial thistle with large clasping white-blotched leaves and purple flower heads; naturalized in California and South America holy thistle, lady's thistle, Our Lady's mild thistle, Silybum marianum, milk thistle genus Silybum, Silybum - small genus of east African herbs herb, herbaceous plant - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
	2.	blessed thistle - annual of Mediterranean to Portugal having hairy stems and minutely spiny-toothed leaves and large heads of yellow flowers Cnicus benedictus, sweet sultan thistle - any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves Cnicus, genus Cnicus - one species: blessed thistle