Cirsium acaule

Cirsium acaule
Cirsium acaule/acaulon (Dwarf Thistle)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Subfamily:	Carduoideae
Tribe:	Cynareae
Genus:	Cirsium
Species:	C. acaule
Binomial name
Cirsium acaule (L.) A.A.Weber ex Wigg. 1780 not Scop. 1780 nor Ledeb. 1833
Synonyms
Synonymy Carduus acaulis L. Carduus caulescens Pers. ex Steud. Carduus gmelini Steud. Carduus rosenii Vill. Carduus spinosus Gueldenst. ex Ledeb. Cirsium allionii Spenn. Cirsium alpestre Nägeli Cirsium bipontinum F.W.Schultz Cirsium consanguineum DC. Cirsium decipiens Nyman Cirsium decoloratum W.D.J.Koch Cirsium exigium Bubani Cirsium fallax Franch. Cirsium lachenalii W.D.J.Koch Cirsium rosenii Vill. Cirsium sorocephalum DC. Cnicus affghanicus C.Winkl. ex Petr.

Cirsium acaule or acaulon has the English name dwarf thistle or stemless thistle. It is widespread across much of Europe. It is often found on short, calcerous grasslands.

Cirsium acaule is a perennial herb. The leaves are a spreading rosette, spiny, 10 to 15 cm long. They are more or less hairy above, but more or less hairy underneath.

There is usually only one flower head, although there can sometimes be 2 or 3. Usually it is not stalked from the leaf rosette. The flower head is 3 to 4 cm long, the florets are red/purple. They flower from June to September.

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Wikipedia