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Perennial herb, up to 1.5 m high. Stems stout, winged, spinose. Leaves alternate, densely set all along stem; basal leaves petiolate, upper leaves sessile; blade of basal leaves narrowly obovate or oblong in outline, up to 300 x 80 mm, pinnatilobate to pinnatifid, lobes rounded, margins coarsely dentate, teeth triangular, spine-tipped, spines up to 10 mm long, spinose-ciliate in between, upper surface harshly glandular-pubescent, white-felted below; blade of upper leaves similar but smaller, base decurrent on stem; uppermost leaves elliptic, not lobed, coarsely spinose-dentate. Heads radiate, up to 80 mm in diameter, solitary or few together, pedunculate. Involucral bracts connate at base, broadly ovate, foliaceous, up to 10 mm wide, tips spiny, spine ± 5-10 mm long, ± 1/3-1/2 length of bract, margins also with smaller spines. Flowers: ray florets white or yellow; disc florets yellow; Jan.-Mar. Fruit with cypsela glabrous, turbinate, 2.5-3.5 mm long. Pappus of scales, uniseriate, up to 0.5 mm long, obtuse.
A stout perennial herb up to 1.5 m tall, branching into a large, spreading, corymbose panicle, stems softly pilose, winged, leafy. Leaves up to c. 30 x 8 cm, decreasing in size upwards, oblong in outline, pinnatifid, the uppermost sinuate-pinnatilobate, lobes up to c. 6 each side, rounded or oblong, margins coarsely and deeply toothed, teeth triangular, spine-tipped, spines up to 1 cm long, upper surface somewhat harshly glandular-pubescent, lower white-felted, lowermost leaves narrowed to a petiole-like base, upper broad at the base, sessile, clasping, decurrent on the stem in long, broad, spiny wings. Heads up to 8 cm across the expanded rays, solitary or few together at the tips of the inflorescence branches. Involucral bracts foliaceous, up to c. 10 mm broad. Rays white or yellow, disc yellow. Achenes c. 3 mm long, turbinate, glabrous. Pappus scales up to 0.5 mm long, obtuse.
Perennial herb, 0.3-1.5 m high; stout, branching into large, spreading, corymbose panicle; stems softly pilose, leafy. Leaves decreasing in size upwards, oblong in outline, pinnatifid, uppermost sinuate-pinnatilobate, lobes up to 6 each side, rounded or oblong, margins coarsely and deeply toothed, teeth triangular, spine-tipped, upper surface somewhat harshly glandular-pubescent, lower surface white-felted; lowermost leaves narrowed to petiole-like base, upper broad at base, sessile, clasping, decurrent on the stem in long, broad, spiny wings. Capitula solitary or few together at tips of inflorescence branches; involucral bracts foliaceous. Ray florets white or yellow. Disc florets yellow. Flowering time Feb., Mar. Pappus of obtuse scales. Cypselae turbinate, glabrous.
