Νωτόβασις η συριακή, Νερόκαυλος, Αγκάβανος, Ανάλατος, Γαουράγκαθο, Γομαράγκαθο, Κουφάγκαθο
Etymology of Notobasis syriaca: The compound name of the genus is called in Ancient Greek "νωτόβασις", from the female nouns "νῶτος" [notos], meaning "back, spine" and "βάσις" [vasis], meaning "base", hence "based on the spine", referring to the compressed achenes attached by the base of their dorsal side. The species is called "syriaca" as it was initially recorded on Syrian territory.
Quattrocchi suggests that the genus's name derives from Ancient Greek "νοτίς, νότος" [notis, notos], meaning "humidity", but the issue here is that "νοτίς" is written with "ο" (omikron) and not with an "ω" (omega), hence, even though it is translated nicely as "based in humidity", it is certainly not recorded as "νοτόβασις" in dictionaries.
There are two species in the genus Notobasis in the world, in Cyprus we have one of the two, Notobasis syriaca.
Notobasis syriaca is an erect, robust annual thistle, 30–90 cm tall. Its leaves are shallowly pinnatifid, glabrous or thinly arachnoid, with lobes and lobules ending in spines. Its capitula are solitary or in small clusters, subtended by rigid, deeply pinnatisect, purple-tinged leaves with segments ending in long, very sharp spines. Its involucre is ovoid; it bears phyllaries imbricate, lanceolatesubulate. Syriaca's florets are pinkish-purple. The achenes are circa 6 mm, obliquely obovoid, slightly compressed, smooth, brown; the apex appears with an elliptical scar but lacks collar or projection. Finally, the pappus consists of long, plumose hairs circa 18 mm.
Notobasis syriaca is a common plant in Cypriot nature. It can be encountered all-around Cyprus where the altitude is lower than 300 metres. It mostly grows on non-fertile ground and roadsides. Its flowering period is between February and May.
