Alpine Blue sow-thistle

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Alpine Blue sow-thistle
• Alpine Blue-Sow-Thistle
• Alpine Sow-Thistle
• alpine blue sow thistle
• mountain sow thistle
• tall blue-lettuce
• Blue Sowthistle

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Sonchus leucophaeus
• Sonchus montanus
• Garacium alpinum
• Agathyrsus alpinus
• Agathyrsus caeruleus
• Soyeria alpina
• Agathyrsus lapponicus
• Sonchus caeruleus
• Sonchus multiflorus
• Sonchus racemosus
• Picridium alpinum
• Sonchus alpestris
• Sonchus alpinus
• Sonchus canadensis
• Agathyrsus leucophaeus
• Cicerbita borealis
• Cicerbita leucophaea
• Galathenium multiflorum
• Hieracium mulgedium
• Mulgedium alpinum
• Mulgedium leucophaeum
• Mulgedium multiflorum
• Sonchus lapponicus
• Lactuca alpina

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asterales, it is a member of the family Asteraceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Cicerbita.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical range across several European regions. In Northern Europe, its presence is documented in Finland, Norway, and Sweden. It can also be found growing within the landscapes of Great Britain. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species extends its reach into Austria. Together, these locations define the specific distribution of this medicinal herb.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cicerbita alpina is characterized by its preference for diverse montane landscapes, where it can be found inhabiting forests, meadows, mountains, and areas near rivers. This plant is specifically adapted to high-altitude environments, demonstrating a robust presence across varying terrains within its ecological niche. Its distribution is constrained by vertical limits, with its elevational range extending up to a maximum of 2200 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

2200 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, meadows, mountains, rivers

Life history

The life history of Cicerbita alpina is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons within its alpine habitats. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennating buds are located at or near the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or snow cover during dormant periods. The plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage as it prepares for seasonal dormancy, which is a critical adaptation to the harsh climatic fluctuations of its environment.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cicerbita alpina is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, manifesting as both a herb and a forb. The plant is a self-supporting organism, functioning as an independent species without parasitic or climbing requirements. It is a terrestrial plant, neither aquatic nor an epiphyte. In terms of stature, it exhibits significant variation in plant height, ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 2.5 m, with an average height of approximately 0.6 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cicerbita alpina is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which is typical for many temperate herbaceous species. The plant exhibits significant morphological investment in its foliage, with an average leaf size of approximately 137.11625 cm². Furthermore, it maintains a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 380.4 cm²/g, reflecting a physiological strategy that balances leaf thickness and surface area to optimize light interception and resource acquisition within its natural habitat.

Leaf size mean:

137.11625 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

380.4 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cicerbita alpina is characterized by a specific phenological window and complex biotic and abiotic interactions. The flowering period typically commences in July and extends through September. During this time, the plant relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects as its primary pollinators, while self-fertilization is noted to be absent. Once fertilization is successful, the plant produces seeds with a mean mass of approximately 0.00108 g. The subsequent dispersal of these seeds follows an anemochorous syndrome, meaning they are dispersed by the wind to colonize new habitats.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.00108 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Cicerbita alpina has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include luteolin.

luteolin

1. Scientific reports

Activities

Cicerbita alpina has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic.

Anthelmintic

1. Frontiers in plant science