Annual herbs. Stems erect, strongly branched, terete or obscurely longitudinally striate; wings present, spinose. Leaves linear-oblong, obscurely pinnatifid; margins with long spines interspersed by many short spinules. Capitula sessile, homogamous, surrounded and exceeded by reduced leaves. Involucral bracts with a pinnately dissected, spiny, terminal appendage. Receptacle almost flat, not alveolate, densely setose. Corolla purplish; tube filiform; lobes linear. Anther filaments free, glabrous or glandular. Style branches connate, erect. Achenes compressed-obovoid, smooth, glabrous, with narrow apical rim; carpopodium basal. Pappus deciduous, of numerous plumose, capillary bristles, basally united in a ring.
Home