ar·ti·choke 
(ärtĭ-chōk′)
(ärtĭ-chōk′)n.
1.
a. A Mediterranean thistlelike plant (Cynara scolymus) in the composite family, having pinnately divided leaves and large discoid heads of bluish flowers.
b. The edible, immature flower head of this plant. Also called globe artichoke.
2. The Jerusalem artichoke.
[Northern Italian dialectal articiocco, from Old Spanish alcarchofa, from Arabic al-ḫaršuf : al-, the + ḫuršūf, ḫaršūf, artichoke (perhaps from Middle Persian *xār-čōb, literally, thorn-stick : xār, thorn; akin to Sanskrit khara-, rough, sharp + čōb, stick).]
artichokeCynara scolymus