The reports on milk thistle include a number of discrepancies, which concern, first of all, the Latin name of the plant, components of silymarin, mixing fruits with seeds, and the use of the term ‘endosperm’. Based on the applicable literature, it was shown that Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. is the proper name of the species, fruits are the milk thistle yield and seeds are endospermless. Silymarin (as the sum of flavonolignans: silybin, silychristin and silydianin) is accumulated in the pericarp and the seed shell. Depending upon growing conditions, the plants are from 0.7 to 1.7 m high, while the growing period on the raw material plantations takes 80-110 days.

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