Gundelia
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 Gundelia tournefortii
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G. rosea |
The gundelia is a spiny, thistle-like flowering plant of the genus Gundelia L. in the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
They occur in the semi-desert areas of Armenia, Asia Minor, Iraq and Iran.
A member of this genus, tumbleweed G. tournefortii came under the spotlights in 1998, when its pollen grains were found in abundance on the Shroud of Turin. This fact served a claim in establishing the provenance of the shroud. It has been suggested that this spiny plant may be the "crown of thorns", symbol of humiliation of Jesus. More likely it was Christ's thorn jujube (Zizyphus spina-christi) or maybe both.
[edit] Reference
- Karis, P. O., Eldenäs, P. & Källersjö, M.: New evidence for the systematic position of Gundelia L. – Taxon 50: 105–114. 2001. – ISSN 0040-0262.
