Purple cardoon or artichoke thistle

Flower of the day. Purple cardoon or artichoke thistle. Gold on Black canvas. Size A5.

The cardoon (Cynara cardunculus), also called the artichoke thistle, cardone, cardoni, carduni, or cardi, is a thistle-like plant in the sunflower family. It is a naturally occurring species that includes the globe artichoke, and has many cultivated forms. It is native to the western and central Mediterranean region, where it was domesticated in ancient times.~Wikipedia