Cynara is a genus of about 10 species of thistle-like perennials in the family Asteraceae, originally from the Mediterranean, northwestern Africa, and the Canary Islands.

Among the species in this genus are:

• Cynara cardunculus is the Cardoon or Artichoke thistle or Wild artichoke, in some places used as a food. It is a common source of a coagulant used as an alternative to rennet in the manufacture of cheese, with the advantage that the cheese is then fully suitable for vegetarians; many southern European cheeses are traditionally made in this way. The edible Globe Artichoke may be an ancient cultigen of this plant. As an introduced species in California, it is a major pest.
• Cynara humilis, a wild thistle of southern Europe and north Africa, traditionally used as a food by the Berbers. Like C. cardunculus, it can also be used in cheese-making.
• Cynara scolymus is the edible Globe Artichoke. It differs from C. cardunculus in that the leaf lobes and inner bracts of involucre are less spiny.

References

• Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The Plant Book. A portable dictionary of the higher plants. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 706 p. ISBN 0 521 34060 8.
• Robbins, W.W., M. K. Bellue, and W. S. Ball. 1970. Weeds of California. State of California, Dept. of Agriculture. 547 p.