Artichoke

From Freepedia

Artichokes are three types of vegetables in the daisy family Asteraceae. When unqualified, the term "artichoke" nearly always refers to the globe artichoke, of which the aboveground part is eaten, in contrast to the other two, where a root part is eaten. They take approximately 45 minutes to cook.

• The Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus L.) is a species of thistle. The edible part of the plant is the base (receptacle) of the flower head in bud, properly called a vegetable as it is harvested well before any fruit develops.
• The Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus is a species of sunflower. The edible part of the plant is the tuber.
• The Chinese artichoke Stachys affinis is a species of woundwort. The edible part of the plant is the tuber.

See also Project ARTICHOKE, a codename for a CIA operation.