Picnomon acarna

Annual, 50–100 cm high; stems much-branched, spiny-winged, cobwebbed. Leaves shallowly lobed with long yellow spines, densely cobwebbed; basal leaves oblanceolate, to 30 cm long and 3 cm wide; cauline leaves linear, mostly 4–10 cm long, 4–8 mm wide, apex spine-tipped, base decurrent. Capitula sessile, solitary or in groups of 2–4, cylindrical but tapering distally, c. 1 cm diam.; involucre 2–3 cm long; intermediate bracts linear-lanceolate, terminal spine recurved, yellow, to c. 7 mm long, spinules 1–4 pairs; inner bracts longer and narrower with less-prominent spines. Florets bisexual; corolla 20–25 mm long, pink or purple. Cypselas 4–6 mm long, brown to black with paler streaks, smooth; pappus 1–2 cm long.