Carduus pycnocephalus L.

Annual. Stems usually branched above, (20)-60-100-(150) cm tall, with sparse multicellular hairs below, becoming cobwebby above, ribbed; wing narrowed to 1-2 mm wide between clusters of teeth; teeth 5-15 mm long, in narrowly deltoid to linear clusters; spines 3-8-(10) mm long. Lvs oblanceolate to narrowly deltoid, pinnatifid, (5)-10-30 × (2)-5-15 cm, with multicellular hairs above and cobwebby to woolly tomentum beneath; basal lvs with 3-5 pairs of lobes; lobes dentate; teeth spine-tipped; spines pale, 2-5-(8) mm long. Capitula erect to suberect, falling at fruiting, 10-20 × 5-15 mm, shortly pedunculate or subsessile in terminal clusters of 2-3-(5), also solitary, sessile, and axillary on stems; peduncles 1-2 mm diam. Involucre cylindric to obconic. Outer and middle involucral bracts narrowly lanceolate to deltoid, tapered to a subulate erecto-patent to patently curved spine, without distinct claw and limb, with glandular papillae, and cobwebby hairs at least on margins; apex green, linear; midvein raised in upper 1/2. Inner involucral bracts linear, papillate to puberulent, (1)-3-veined above; apex acute, green with scarious margins, often pink subapically. Corolla pale pinkish purple, (10)-13-15 mm long; lobes 4.5-5.5 mm long; swelling at throat of tube ellipsoid, < 2-(3) mm long. Achenes brown, ellipsoid, 3.5-4 × 1.5-2 mm; pappus 10-12 mm long.

It is a temperate or Mediterranean plant. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level.

The stem can be eaten raw or stewed or added to soups.