Carduus thessalus, 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 : 224

15. C. thessalus Boiss. & Heldr. in Boiss., Diagn. Pl. Or. Nov 3 (2): 46 (1856).

Like 14(a) but capitulacampanulate, solitary, sessile orwith peduncles up to 2 cm and 1 -2 mm in diameter, corymbosely arranged; involucral bracts densely imbricate, the inner larger, the outer lanceolate-triangular, subobtuse, 1 mm wide at base, the middle 1 -5 mm wide at base, more strongly attenuate at apex, all glabrous, verruculose on the back and distinctly ciliate-serrulate on the margin, with mid-vein raised only in the distal i; inner bracts minutely verruculose, ciliate-serrulate, with a more or less distinct mid-vein only in the purplish distal achenes 3-4 mm, compressed, minutely verruculose on both surfaces. Rocky slopes or forest margins. • Mountains of N. W. Greece. Gr.