Cirsium spinosissimum

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.^[2]

Cirsium spinosissimum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Cirsium
Species:	C. spinosissimum
Binomial name
Cirsium spinosissimum (L.) Scop. 1769
Synonyms[1]
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.

The plant is between 20 and 80 cm (8 and 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.^[2]