Onopordum macracanthum, Schousboe

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

10. O. macracanthum Schousboe , Vextr. Marokko 198 (1800).

Plant up to 150 cm, with unicellular hairs, not viscid. Stem white-lanate; wings up to 10 mm wide, not reticulate-veined, with apical spine up to 5 mm. Leaves up to 40 x 20 cm, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, sessile, pinnatifid, with 5-7 pairs of lobes, densely tomentose, greyish above, white beneath; lobes triangular-acute, with an apical spine up to 6 mm. Capitula 30-60 mm in diameter, subglobose, arachnoid-hairy at base; involucral bracts imbricate near base, the outer and lower middle patent or deflexed, the basal part 5-6 mm wide, cochleariform, glabrous, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, with a rigid apex 15-30 mm having involute margin and spine 6-7 mm. Corolla c. 30 mm, purple. Achenes 4-5 mm, greyish-brown; pappus 7-9 mm, reddish. S.E. Portugal, S. & S.E. Spain. Hs Lu.