Cirsium vulgare (Spear Thistle) is a common weed
of agricultural areas. The plant is an erect herb up to about 1.5m
tall. The stems have discontinuous spiny winged (unlike the continuous
wings in Carduus). The leaves are
dark green above with scattered, stiff erect hairs, white with hairs
below, and with stiff spines. The heads are about 1.2-4 cm wide and
have purple flowers. |