Onopordum illyricum, L.

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 : 247

12. O. illyricum L. , Sp. Pl. 827 (1753).

Plant up to 130 cm. Stem yellowish, hairy; wings not reticulate-veined. Leaves up to 55 x 15 cm, oblong-lanceolate, sessile, pinnatifid or pinnatisect, with 8-10 pairs of remote lobes; lobes triangular-cuneate, entire or lobulate. Capitula 30-50 x 40-60 mm, globose-ovoid, arachnoid-hairy below; involucral bracts 5-7 mm wide, imbricate, subappressed, or the outer and middle recurved in apical half, flat, slightly convex distally, the outer bracts shorter than the others. Corolla 25-35 mm, purplish. Achenes 4-5 mm; pappus 10-12 mm, the hairs plumose. 2« = 34. Mediterranean region, Portugal, S. Bulgaria. Al BI Bu Co Cr Ga Gr Hs It Ju Lu Sa Si.

1 Stem glabrescent; leaves sparsely hairy, with prominent veins beneath (c) subsp. horridum

1 Stem white- or grey-tomentose; leaves densely greyish-tomentose, with indistinct veins beneath

2 Lower middle and outer involucral bracts recurved or patent; corolla not more than 30 mm (a) subsp. illyricum

2 Involucral bracts appressed and erect or the outermost slightly erecto-patent at apex; corolla more than 30 mm

(b) subsp. cardunculus