Carduus nyassanus R.E.Fr.

Biennial or perennial herb, 0.5–3 m high, erect, spiny, branching slightly near the inflorescence; stems ribbed, glandular-setose (rarely araneose) with spiny lobed and interrupted wings.. Leaves sessile, decurrent, spiny, pinnately lobed, the basal leaves largest, oblanceolate or elliptic in outline, 3–60 cm long, 1–21 cm wide, in basal leaves the base attenuate into a spiny-lobed petioloid base, in median leaves the base semi-amplexicaul, 5–47-lobed, the lobes alternate or opposite, with strong spines terminating the lobes and their lobules, with shorter marginal spines in between, sparsely or sometimes densely glandular-setose on both surfaces, rarely thinly lanate above, often araneose to arachnoid-tomentose beneath.. Capitula in terminal dense globose clusters of 3–10 together; involucre urn-shaped, 13–27 mm long; phyllaries many, in 3–4 series, lanceolate, 8–24 mm long, pungent with recurved apical spines in the median ones, the outermost setose or arachnoid proximally but otherwise glabrescent, ciliate; receptacle with setae 2.5–8.5 mm long.. Florets 38–102 per capitulum, sweet-scented; corolla white or pale mauve, tube 9.5–15.5 mm long, occasionally with a few glands, lobes 3–5.5 mm long, anthers grey.. Achenes ovoid, 2.5–5 mm long, slightly angular and compressed, slightly curved, glabrous; pappus of many bristles 10–19 mm long, the longest slightly expanded distally, falling as a single unit.