Cirsium spathulatum, (Moretti) Gaudin

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 : 236

17. C. spathulatum (Moretti) Gaudin , Fl. Helv. 5: 202 (1829).

Biennial 50-100 cm. Leaves shortly setose above, sparsely arachnoid-hairy to -lanate beneath; lobes lanceolate, with rather stout apical spine 3-12 mm. Capitula few, shortly pedunculate, with 3-8 subtending leaves shorter than to equalling capitulum. Involucre 30-40 x 30-40 mm, glabrous or rarely sparsely arachnoid-hairy; bracts with smooth margin; outer recurved; middle patent, with rhombic, broadly scarious-margined, fimbriate appendage and weak apical spine 1-2 mm, the curved part spinulose on inner surface, the appendage with a narrow, spiny wing or a row of short spinules on inner surface. Corolla 29-33 mm, purple. Achenes 5-5-5 mm; pappus 24-27 mm. • S. W. & S. Alps, eastwards to c. 11 ° 30' E.?Ga He It.