Cirsium pumilum
Cirsium andrewsii
pasture thistle
Franciscan thistle
erect, villous with septate trichomes and sometimes thinly arachnoid tomentose;
branches 0–few, distal, ascending.
several, erect to spreading, thinly arachnoid, soon glabrous;
branches ± fleshy, usually much branched proximally, spreading to ascending.
blades oblong-elliptic, 5–30+ × 2–10 cm, ± undulate, shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes ovate to broadly triangular, usually separated by broad sinuses, spinose-dentate or lobed, main spines 1.5–7 mm, slender to stout, abaxial faces villous with septate trichomes, at least along veins, sometimes thinly arachnoid, adaxial faces villous with septate trichomes and thinly arachnoid tomentose or subglabrous;
basal often present at flowering, bases tapered;
principal cauline sessile, moderately reduced distally, bases often auriculate-clasping;
distal reduced, similar to proximal.
blades ± elliptic, 30–75 × 10–20 cm, shallowly to deeply pinnatifid, lobes oblong to ovate, unlobed or with several prominent secondary lobes or large teeth, obtuse to acute, main spines 2–7 mm, abaxial gray arachnoid-tomentose, adaxial faces thinly arachnoid, glabrate;
basal often present at flowering, spiny winged-petiolate;
principal cauline sessile, bases clasping with broad, spiny-margined auricles, reduced distally, spinier than proximal;
distal much reduced, spines 7–20 mm.
0–15+ cm (above distal leaves), leafy-bracted.
0–7 cm.
broadly cylindric to ovoid, 3.5–5 cm, 2.5–3 cm diam. (appearing much wider and hemispheric to campanulate in pressed specimens), loosely arachnoid on phyllary margins or glabrate.
ovoid to hemispheric or campanulate, 1.5–3 × 1.5–5 cm, sparsely to densely arachnoid, finely short-ciliate.
pink to purple (white), 40–60 mm, tubes 20–35 mm, throats 11–15 mm, lobes 7–10 mm;
style tips 3–7 mm.
dark reddish purple, 17–24 mm, tubes 8–11 mm, throats 3.5–6 mm, lobes 5–7 mm;
style tips 3–4 mm.
in 8–10 series, imbricate, ovate or lanceolate (outer) to lance-linear (inner), abaxial faces with ± prominent glutinous ridge, outer and middle appressed, apices ascending to spreading, spines 1.5–6 mm;
apices of middle and inner narrowed and scabrid-denticulate, innermost spineless, tapered and entire or with expanded, erose-denticulate, flexuous tips.
in ca. 6 series, dark green or brown or with stramineous margins and a darker central zone, imbricate, linear-lanceolate (outer) to linear (inner), abaxial faces without glutinous ridge;
outer and mid bodies appressed, spiny-ciliate, apices long-spreading to ascending long-acuminate, spines straight, stout, 5–15 mm;
apices of inner straight or twisted, long, entire, flat or spine-tipped.
1–few, borne singly at tips of main stem and branches, often closely subtended by 1–several bracts.
several–many, in congested corymbiform arrays.
stramineous to brown, 3.5–5 mm, apical collars yellow or colored like body;
pappi 35–45 mm.
dark brown, 4–5 mm, apical collars narrow;
pappi 15 mm.
= 30.
= 32.
Cirsium pumilum
Cirsium andrewsii
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
Flowers of Cirsium pumilum are reportedly sweetly scented.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Cirsium andrewsii occurs along the coast of north-central California from San Mateo to Marin counties. It reportedly hybridizes with C. quercetorum (F. Petrak 1917; J. T. Howell 1960b).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Spines of outer phyllaries stout, 3–6 mm; plants usually with several long branches; leaves usually lobed nearly to the midvein; roots rarely and only slightly tuberous-thickened; cypselae usually 3.5– 4 mm | var. pumilum |
1. Spines of outer phyllaries slender, 1.5–3 mm; plants simple or distally with a few short branches; leaves usually shallowly lobed; roots often tuberous-thickened; cypselae usually 4.5–5 mm | var. hillii |
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