Carduus cronius, Boiss. & Heldr.

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 : 225

16. C. cronius Boiss. & Heldr. in Boiss., Diagn. Pl. Or. Nov. 1(6): 105 (1846).

Perennial up to 100 cm. Stem arachnoid-hairy to tomentose; wings up to 15 mm wide, triangular or oblongacute with an apical spine up to 10 mm. Leaves hairy, the hairs unicellular and sinuate, with 6-8 pairs of palmate, caudate lobes with oblong to oblong-linear lobules, with an apical spine up to 15 mm. Capitula 20-25 x 20-25 mm, ovoid to campanulate, usually sessile and in clusters of 2-5; involucral bracts imbricate, the outer and middle 1 -5-2 mm wide at the base, 1 mm wide at the middle, lanceolate-subulate, with mid-vein raised throughout its length; inner bracts 3-veined (1-veined at apex). Corolla 18-20 mm. Achenes 3-4 mm, compressed, minutely verruculose; apical prominence short, sessile, entire; pappus 13-16 mm. Bare hillsides. • Mountains of Greece and S. Albania. Al Gr.