Atractylis is a genus of plants in the daisy family. The Distaff thistle, Atractylis gummifera, native to the Greek island of Crete, is called kollies (κολλιές), akolletes (ακολλέτες), sakizi (σακίζι), kollotsoure (κολλοτσουρέ) or agathokollia (αγκαθοκολλιά) by the people of the island, They often eat peel and the heads raw or browned Species Atractylis is native to the greater Mediterranean region (southern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Canary Islands).