Musk Thistle: Carduus nutans: Asteraceae
Musk thistle © RSWacha, 1998
Description:
Musk Thistle is known also as "nodding thistle" due to the position of the flowering head, which is angled downward, in nodding fashion. The flowering head is covered with densely-packed, thread-like, purple to lavender disk flowers. Ray flowers are absent. Involucral bracts are triangle-shaped, tinted purple, and point outwardly. Flowering heads occur singly at the tip of the stem. The stems, just below the flowering heads, lack conspicuous leaves, but are covered with cotton-like hairs. Lower leaves are long, relatively narrow, and have 6 to 12 evenly spaced lobes bearing numerous spines. Leaves higher on the stem may lack lobes, but have evenly spaced teeth bearing spines. Long, conspicuous, spiny, leaf-like, extensions, called "wings," are attached to the stem, and run lengthwise along its surface. Occurs in roadsides and fields, from June to October. European.