Onopordum tauricum

Onopordum tauricum, the Taurian thistle or bull cottonthistle, is a species of thistle. It is native to Eurasia and is known in Australia and the western United States as an introduced species.[1] It easily becomes a noxious weed, similar to its relative, Onopordum acanthium.

Onopordum tauricum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Onopordum
Species:
O. tauricum
Binomial name
Onopordum tauricum
Synonyms[1]
  • Onopordum argolicum Boiss.
  • Onopordum corymbosum subsp. visegradense Franco
  • Onopordum elatum Sm.
  • Onopordum virens DC.
  • Onopordum viscosum Hornem. ex Spreng.

This is a biennial herb producing a sticky, glandular, very spiny stem up to 2 meters tall. The spiny, bright light green leaves are up to 25 centimeters long and are divided into triangular lobes. The inflorescence is made up of several large flower heads each up to 7 centimeters wide. They are lined with long, spiny phyllaries and bear pink-purple tubular flowers up to 3 centimeters long.

References
  1. "Onopordum tauricum Willd". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 25 March 2022.


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