Ground thistle, Lesser milk thistle
Sonchus nanus
Family: Asteraceae
What it is like
A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It has a woody rootstock. The leaves are at the base. The leaves are narrow and pointed and do not have a stalk. They have irregular lobes and teeth along the edge. The leaves are 12 cm long by 3 cm wide. The flower heads occur singly at the ends of the plant. They are on 20 cm long stalks. Flowers are yellow.
Where it is found
It is a subtropical plant. It grows in open grassland. It can grow in arid places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland
How it is used for food
The young leaves are cooked as a vegetable.
Edible parts
Leaves
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Sentlokojane, Tshikaklembe, Tshikandamalembe