Cirsium spinosissimum

Cirsium spinosissimum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Subfamily:	Cichorioideae
Tribe:	Cynareae
Subtribe:	Carduinae
Genus:	Cirsium
Species:	C. spinosissimum
Binomial name
Cirsium spinosissimum (L.) Scop. 1769
Synonyms
Synonymy Carduus comosus Lam. Carduus spinosissimus Vill. Carthamus involucratus Lam. Cirsium caput-medusae Schur ex Nyman Cirsium cervini W.D.J.Koch Cirsium controversum DC. Cirsium hallerianum Gaudin Cirsium purpureum All. Cirsium spitzelii Sch.Bip. ex Nyman Cnicus purpureus Bertol. Cnicus spinosissimus L.

Cirsium spinosissimum , common name Spiniest Thistle, is a European species of thistle which grows in dry rocky areas. It is found in France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the Balkans.

The plant is between 20 to 80 cm (8 to 31.5 in) tall. Leaves, stems, and the sides of the flower head bear long, sharp spines, hence the name of the plant. Flower heads contain numerous disc florets but no ray florets, the florets off-white sometimes with a purple tinge.

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Wikipedia