Cirsium spinosissimum subsp. bertolonii, (Sprengel) Werner

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 : 239

(b) Subsp. bertolonii (Sprengel) Werner , Bot. Jour. Linn. Soc. 70: 18 (1975)

( C. bertolonii Sprengel ):

Capitula with 2-5 coriaceous subtending leaves scarcely longer than capitulum. Outer and middle involucral bracts subequal, with patent apex; inner suberect, with fimbriate-ciliate apex. 2л = 34. Appennini, Alpi Apuane.

C. obvallatum (Bieb.) Bieb. , FI. Taur.-Cauc. 3: 559 (1819), from S.W. Asia, hasbeenrecorded from the mountains ofE. Jugoslavia, probably in error. It is like 41 but has the stem 40-100(-150) cm, leaves pinnatifid to pinnatisect, glabrous above, crispate-villous to glabrescent beneath, the capitula subtended and exceeded by numerous narrow, pectinate leaves which are nearly reduced to long spines, the involucre 15-20 x 15-20 mm, with appressed bracts having an apical spine 1-2-5 mm and distinct vittae.