Cirsium mairei, Halacsy

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 240

45. C. mairei Halácsy , Consp. Fl. Graec., Suppl. 59 (1908).

Perennial 20-40 cm. Stem simple, leafy up to the apex. Leaves coriaceous, undulate, oblong, pinnatisect, pubescent above, sparsely arachnoid-lanate beneath; segments triangular, lobed, with strong spines 5-10 mm. Capitulum solitary, with 2-7 narrow, undulate-spiny subtending leaves shorter or rarely slightly longer than capitulum. Involucre 20-22 x 20-23 mm; bracts acute, erect, with pungent spine 1-5 mm; vittae absent. Corolla purple. Damp meadows. • S. C. Greece (Giona Oros). Gr.

A little-known species of doubtful affinity.

C. epiroticum Petrak , Mitt. Thür. Bot. Ges. 2(1): 13 (1960), described from a single specimen from N.W. Greece (Pindhos Oros), is perhaps related to 45 but has the stem c. 70 cm, with c. 5 capitula crowded at the apex, the lower leaves shortly decurrent, lanceolate, pinnatifid, with 2-lobed segments and involucral bracts with a weak spinule 1-2 mm.