Carduus crispus is a perennial herb, 0.7-1m in height,
found on roadsides or riverbanks, with stems with conspicuous broad
wings. The wings have dentitions, the tips of which grow to
prickles. Leaves on lower parts measure 5-20cm long, are irregularly
pinnately cut from the middle to deep and have many prickles on the
margins. Flower heads, red-purple, 2-2.5cm in diameter, set
themselves a few together on branch tips. Involucres are bell-shaped
or hemispheric,1.7-2.7cm in width; involucral bracts line up in 7-8
rows, and outer and middle ones bend back. Bloom time: May-July. |