Globe Thistle vs

Echinops ritro compared with Nitzschia flexa

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Globe Thistle
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Chromista (Chromista)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ochrophyta (Ochrophyta)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Bacillariophyceae (Bacillariophyceae)
Order	Afrosoricida (Afrosoricida)	Bacillariales (Bacillariales)
Family	Tenrecidae	Bacillariaceae
Genus	Echinops	Nitzschia
Species	Echinops ritro	Nitzschia flexa

Conservation Status

Globe Thistle

NE — Not Evaluated

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Globe Thistle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Globe Thistle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Estonia, Russia, and United States.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Nitzschia flexa is a pennate diatom (class Bacillariophyceae) with a characteristically curved or bent raphe system that gives the genus its distinctive appearance. It inhabits freshwater to brackish environments and contributes to benthic and planktonic algal communities. As a photosynthetic microalga, it plays a foundational role in aquatic food webs and primary production.