Carduus collinus subsp. collinus

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 : 228

(a) Subsp. collinus :

Lower leaves c. 20x 3 cm, with petiole about as long as lamina; cauline leaves deeply lobed with 6-8 pairs of long, distant lobes each with an apical spine up to 1 mm, grey-lanuginous beneath. Inner bracts slightly contracted at apex into a short spine. Mainly in the S. & W. parts of the range of the species.