Gundelia is a genus of plants in the sunflower family. The best known species is G. tournefortii. It is found in the semi-desert areas of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Anatolia. Gundelia tournefortii garnered media attention in 1998 when its pollen grains were found in abundance on the Shroud of Turin. Serving as a claim in establishing its provenance, it has been suggested that this spiny plant was used for the "crown of thorns" worn by Jesus, though others have suggested Christ's thorn jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi).