Onopordum messeniacum, Halacsy

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 247

9. O. messeniacum Halácsy , Consp. FI. Graec. 2: 122 (1902).

Plant up to 100 cm, with unicellular hairs, not viscid. Stem yellowish, usually sparsely arachnoid-hairy to glabrous; wings up to 10 mm wide, palmatifid, with linear or oblong lobes with a spine up to 3 mm. Leaves up to 20 x 6 cm, oblong-lanceolate, sessile, pinnatisect, with 6-8 pairs of distant lobes, glabrous above, greyish-arachnoid-hairy beneath; segments oblong-linear, with apical spine up to 3 mm. Capitula 40-50 mm in diameter, subglobose, sparsely arachnoid-hairy at base when young; involucral bracts 3-5 mm wide near base, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, flat below, triquetrous above, glabrous, appressed in basal I, the outer and middle gradually narrowing into a spiny patent or deflexed process 24-32 mm with an apical spine 4-6 mm. Corolla 25-30 mm, purple. Achenes 4-5 mm, brown; pappus 8-10 mm. • S. Greece (near Kalamai). Gr.