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few-leaved thistle, weak thistle

bull thistle, common thistle

Habit Plants biennial or monocarpic perennial, 2–15 dm; taprooted or from creeping roots. Plants biennial, 3–20 dm; taprooted.
Stems

usually 1; slender, arachnoid-villous, sometimes thinly so.

usually single, spreading-villous, sometimes arachnoid.

Leaves

linear-oblong to elliptic, 7–35 × 1–15 cm;

margins entire to dentate or pinnately lobed;

lobes triangular-ovate to linear;

spines fine, 1–6 mm;

surfaces abaxially thinly to densely tomentose, adaxially glabrate to thinly arachnoid-villous;

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

oblong-lanceolate to obovate, 15–40 × 6–15 cm;

margins 1–2-pinnate;

lobes lanceolate to triangular;

spines 2–10(15) mm;

surfaces abaxially tomentose; ± villous, adaxially glabrate to sparsely tomentose, with appressed bristle-like spines;

basal absent or present at flowering, sessile, decurrent, or petiolate.

Involucres

hemispheric to campanulate, 1–2.5 × 1.5–3.5 cm, glabrous to thinly arachnoid-villous.

hemispheric to campanulate, 2–4 × 2–4 cm, thinly tomentose.

Florets

corollas 16–25 mm, cream-colored to purple;

tubes 6–12 mm;

throats 5–10.5 mm;

lobes 3.5–8 mm;

styles conspicuously exserted;

tips 4–6 mm.

corollas 25–35 mm, purple, rarely white;

tubes 18–25 mm;

throats 3–6 mm;

lobes 5–9 mm;

style tips 3.5–6 mm.

Phyllaries

subequal to strongly imbricate, sometimes with inconspicuous glutinous ridges;

spines 1–6 mm; outer bases ? 2 mm wide.

without glutinous ridges;

spines 1–5 mm.

Fruits

4.5–5.5 mm, tan to dark brown;

pappi 12–25 mm.

3–5 mm, light brown with darker streaks;

pappi 20–30 mm.

Heads

few–many.

few to many.

Cirsium remotifolium

Cirsium vulgare

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

Western United States. 3 varieties.

Cirsium remotifolium is known to form fertile hybrids with C. edule where their ranges overlap.

Disturbed areas, pastures. Flowering Jun–Sep. 0–2000 m. All ecoregions. CA, ID, NV, WA; throughout North America; worldwide. Exotic.

Cirsium vulgare is our only species with bristle-like spines on the upper leaf surface. This species is considered a noxious weed and is unpalatable to most livestock.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 228
Bridget Chipman
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 230
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. scariosum, C. undulatum, C. vulgare
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
Subordinate taxa
C. remotifolium var. odontolepis, C. remotifolium var. remotifolium, C. remotifolium var. rivulare
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