Common Name:

General Information

Carlina gummifera is a stemless, herbaceous perennial plant producing a rosette of leaves15 - 40cm long and 5 - 12cm wide. The plant comes into flower and produces seed as the foliage dies down
The plant is harvested from the wild for its root, which, despite its toxicity, is often used as a medicine and as a source of gum. The flowers are also sometimes utilized as food.
The overall trend of the population of Carlina gummifera is stable, and the estimated extent of occurrence and the estimated area of occupancy are large. In addition, the impact of the threats is low to medium in a small range of the species, which will not cause the populations to decline very quickly in the near future. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

Carlina gummifera contains the toxic diterpenoid glucosides atractyloside and carboxyatractyloside - these compounds can cause severe poisoning and are lethal in around 50% of cases of severe poisoning. The root is much more toxic than the leaves and flowers[].
Despite the plant’s well-known toxicity and herbalist’s knowledge of the great danger of this plant, its ingestion continues to be a common cause of poisoning. Children and shepherds especially will chew the root after confusing it with the soft and non-toxic root of Scolymus hispanicus (there were 240 severe poisoning cases in Morocco between 1981 and 2004). The toxic effects are hepatic necrosis and renal failure. Symptoms of poisoning appear 6 - 36 hours after ingestion and include vomiting; severe abdominal pain; blackish diarrhoea; headaches; cardiovascular disorders; anxiety; and coma. No specific pharmacological treatment is yet available (2005) and current therapeutic approaches are only symptomatic[].

Botanical References

Range

Mediterranean - Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and the Mediterranean Islands

Habitat

Found in a range of habitats including pastures, meadows, rocky cliffs, scrubland, woodlands clearings, cultivated fields, roadsides, hillsides, thickets, weed of crops, wood grassy mountains, low mountains pastures, woodland and Mediterranean forest[]

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Insects, Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Carlina gummifera is a plant of the Mediterranean region, where it experiences hot dry summers and cool, wet winters. It can be grown outside this climate - it grows well, flowers and sets viable seed at Bristol Botanical Gardens in southwest England for example, where the climate is much moister and winters are colder
Prefers a moist to well drained substrate, growing in sandy and mostly clay soils but also found in other types of deep soils, growing in full sun to mid-shade habitats[].
A monocarpic plant, living for a number of years without flowering, but then dying after it does flower.

Edible Uses

A gum obtained from the plant is used for chewing[, , ]. See notes above on toxicity[].

The flowerheads are sometimes used as an alternative to globe artichokes (Cynara cardunculus).

Medicinal

Although known to be toxic in any but limited doses, the root is quite widely used in traditional medicine. If using this plant, you should make sure that you have consulted a trained herbalist who is knowledgeable about the plant's potential toxicity[].
The dried roots have been used to treat several conditions including intestinal parasites, ulcers, snake-bite poisoning, bleeding, ease childbirth, induce vomiting, treat epilepsy and hysteria[].
A cataplasm of the powdered root is used externally to treat scabies, freckles on the face, acne pimples, syphilitic ulcer, abscesses and boils[].
A decoction of the root, combined with nard and lavender, is used to care for hair[]. Combined with oregano and salt, it is used to treat irritated sexual organs, urinary retention and somnolence[].
The root has been used as a mouthwash to whiten teeth, to decrease toothache, to refresh the breath and to remove skin stains such as freckles[].
The fumigations of the root are used in the treatment of colds, rheumatism, pulmonary troubles, dizziness, headache, paralysis, difficult births and ritually against the evil eye[].
The dried root powder is boiled in water then dried and mixed with semolina and eaten to strengthen the body and to treat jaundice and chest diseases[].

Other Uses

A gum obtained from the plant is used as an adulteration for mastic[, , ]. Mastic (obtained from Pistacia lentiscus) is used in high grade varnishes, as a fixative in perfumes, tooth pastes, glue (especially for false beards), embalming, a temporary filling for teeth etc[, , , , , , , ]. It is used to seal the edges of microscope mounts and is also chewed to preserve the teeth and gums[].

A fumigation of the root is used as insecticide[].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse or cold frame. When large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame until they are planted out in early summer.
Alternatively, the seed can be sown in situ in mid to late spring.