English: Thistles.
Botany: 83 genera; 2500 species.
TaxonomyCarduoideae is a Subfamily of
Asteraceae. It is an early diverging lineage of
Asteraceae.
Carduoideae is monophyletic and recognised as a subfamily in older taxonomies.
Carduoideae is sometimes treated as a Tribe of the Subfamily Cichoroideae.
In the
Plant theory Carduoideae is placed in
Subphase 2.