I was initially confused while trying to determine the name of this species, and apparently Linnaeus is to blame. My first inclination was to search online for wool and Dipsacus or teasel and discover what species were used for textiles. Some references pointed to Dipsacus fullonum, or fuller's teasel, as a likely candidate. This species was named by Linnaeus, and seemed to indicate that this was the species used by fullers (people who “bulked up” cloth woven by weavers, to make it feel more full). However, other references suggested Dipsacus sativus, or Indian teasel as the teasel of the textile industry, and ultimately this made far more sense to me.
What are the differences between the two species that bolsters that conclusion? Again, the Jepson Manual helps: Key to Dipsacus. Note that Dipsacus fullonum has more or less flexible receptacle bracts, ending in straight spines while Dipsacus sativus has stiff bracts with recurved spines. If you were going to use one or the other of these to bulk up wool, which would you choose? The one with the recurved spines to catch the wool and pull it. Confusion cleared up.
This photograph is from the small museum in the Mission Santa Barbara in California.
Photography resource link: for inspiration, the photography of Guy Edwardes.
The French name is cardère.
They were cultivated in great numbers during 3 centuries, used to make fine cloth. At the end of the 19th century, there were still 2300 hectares of cultivated cardères in France. The surface then quickly decreased to a few small villages in South-east France, where the cardères completely disappeared in 1983.
Around that time, a nature periodic (http://lahulotte.fr) laid hands on a bag of seeds in a thistle dealer warehouse, and distributed the seeds to its readers. They recently made an enquiry on how the "cardère des villes", as they called them, had feared, but I don't know the results.
There is an old woolen mill at "Upper Canada Village", where one can see the actual frames with the teasel heads, I don't know if they still run the mill for visitors. "Teasel", seems to be related to "Thistle". By the sound.
Back in the 60's we used to make big hair by 'teasing' it with a comb. Perhaps if we'd had a teasel we could have got up an hour later those dark wintry mornings.
I recently found out that high quality woolen plaids manufactured in Frisia in Northern Germany are still treated with heads of dipsacus sativus. A weaver and fuller in Ramsau, Austria does the same. Dipsacus sativus was grown in the Mühlviertel part of Austria well into the 1970s.
In the museum village of Düppel in Berlin dipsacus sativus has been grown for a project of experimental archaeology in recent years.
The seeds of dispsacus sativus are doing well!! I was able to purchase some this year in France from Biau Germe :-) I love sylvestris which is everywhere here in the Gers. Will plant my garden variety in autumn and share the bountiful seeds with others>
nettle blessings