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Ashland thistle

Habit Plants perennial, 6–20 dm; from creeping roots.
Stems

1–several, thinly arachnoid to densely white-tomentose.

Leaves

oblong-elliptic, 10–30 × 3–12 cm;

margins entire to deeply dentate, lobed or pinnate;

spines 1–6 mm;

surfaces abaxially white-tomentose, adaxially thinly arachnoid-tomentose;

basal present at flowering, sessile, clasping, or petiolate.

Involucres

ovoid to hemispheric, 1.5–2.5 × 1.5–3 cm, glabrate to thinly arachnoid.

Florets

corollas 15–27 mm, white to lavender;

tubes 7–11 mm;

throats 5–11 mm;

lobes 5–7 mm;

style tips 5–7 mm.

Phyllaries

strongly imbricate, with prominent glutinous ridges;

tips ascending to spreading;

spines fine, 1–3 mm.

Fruits

3.5–7 mm, brown;

pappi 15–20 mm.

Heads

1–few.

Cirsium altissimum

Cirsium ciliolatum

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Meadows, open woodlands, hillsides, dry or rocky ground. Flowering May–Aug. 400–1400 m. Sisk. CA. Native.

Cirsium ciliolatum is listed as endangered by the state of California.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 225
Bridget Chipman
Sibling taxa
C. andersonii, C. arvense, C. brevifolium, C. brevistylum, C. ciliolatum, C. cymosum, C. douglasii, C. eatonii, C. edule, C. edule x Cirsium remotifolium, C. inamoenum, C. occidentale, C. ochrocentrum, C. remotifolium, C. scariosum, C. undulatum, C. vulgare
C. andersonii, C. arvense, C. brevifolium, C. brevistylum, C. cymosum, C. douglasii, C. eatonii, C. edule, C. edule x Cirsium remotifolium, C. inamoenum, C. occidentale, C. ochrocentrum, C. remotifolium, C. scariosum, C. undulatum, C. vulgare
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