Meadow Thistle
Cirsium dissectum
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium_dissectum
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Cirsium
Meadow Thistle belongs to the family Asteraceae, order Asterales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Meadow Thistle faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat loss from agricultural intensification and drainage of wetland areas. The species' specialized requirements for nutrient-poor, wet grasslands make it particularly vulnerable to changes in land management practices and hydrological conditions.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Wet, nutrient-poor grasslands, meadows, and marshy areas, particularly in lowland regions with seasonal flooding or high water tables. The species requires specific soil conditions with low fertility and consistent moisture levels.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Meadow Thistle faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat loss from agricultural intensification and drainage of wetland areas. The species' specialized requirements for nutrient-poor, wet grasslands make it particularly vulnerable to changes in land management practices and hydrological conditions.
Agricultural intensification and conversion
Drainage and hydrological modification
Eutrophication from fertilizer runoff
Habitat fragmentation
Changes in grazing management
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Meadow Thistle (Cirsium dissectum). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/meadow-thistle