Wild One Cyprus

foraging food

Star Thistle

Ατρασιήα

çobankaldıran

Scientific Name: Centaurea hyalolepis, Centaurea calcitrapa ⋮see also Thistles

other names: ατρασία, ατρατζία, ατρατζίδα, αθθρατζίδα, τρισατζί(δ)α, αδρακίδα, ατραχού(δ)α

AVAILABLE: DEC-MAR

EDIBLE PARTS:

Description

as young plants the two varieties are indistinguishable by leaf morphology
the leaves at the base form a rosetteleaflets in tight circular rings of lobeddeeply indented margins leaves with one ellipticoval-shaped, small or no point, serrateteeth forward-pointing margined leaf per node along the stem
Centaurea hyalolepis has yellow flowers with long spines
Centaurea calcitrapa has pink flowers with shorter spines

preparation

pick tender leaves before it flowers
boil or steam
excellent with black-eyed beans
the slight bitterness remains even after boiling

extra info

There are ten varieties of Centaurea in Cyprus: Centaurea aegialophila, Centaurea akamantis, Centaurea benedicta, Centaurea calcitrapa (subsp. angusticeps & subsp. calcitrapa), Centaurea cyanoides, Centaurea cyprensis, Centaurea hyalolepis, Centaurea iberica, Centaurea nigra subsp. nigra and Centaurea solstitialis.