Thistle

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/thistle

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Genera such as Carduus, Cirsium, and Onopordum within the family Asteraceae
2. What is the diet?Autotrophic (photosynthesis); seeds are consumed by birds; foliage by insect larvae
3. Why do thistles have spines?The spines and prickles on thistles are a defense that keeps animals from eating them. In dry places, the spines are even sharper to protect the plant and keep water inside.
4. How do thistles help bees, butterflies, and birds?Thistles produce lots of nectar and pollen that bees, butterflies, and moths love to eat. Their seeds are food for birds, and the fluffy down is used by birds to line their nests, helping baby birds grow.

Anemochory: Seed dispersal by wind, facilitated by structures like the thistle's pappus or thistle-down.
Xerophytic: Plants adapted to survive in dry or arid environments, often exhibiting specialized structures like spines.
Keystone Species: A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance, significantly influencing ecosystem structure.