Common name: Winged Slender Thistle
Carduus tenuiflorus Curtis APNI* 
Description: Annual herb 50–150 cm high; stems with continuous wings with spiny lobes to 10 mm wide.
Basal leaves few, oblanceolate, 5–20 cm long, 2–8 cm wide, deeply pinnatisect, margins with spinose angles; faintly variegated, upper surface green and pubescent, lower surface white and cobwebby; cauline leaves oblanceolate to lanceolate, 5–15 cm long, 2–6 cm wide, pinnatifid, stem clasping.
Heads sessile in dense clusters of 3–9 at end of stems, cylindrical; involucral bracts narrow-lanceolate, outer spine-tipped with scarious margins, inner slightly longer than florets and not spiny. Florets purple.
Achenes 4–5 mm long; pappus bristles subequal, 11–13 mm long.
Flowering: October–November
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread weed of pastures, roadsides, wasteland and cultivation. Native of Eur.
NSW subdivisions: *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *SWS, *NWP, *SWP, *SFWP, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *Tas. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by L. Murray
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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