Common name: Perennial Thistle
Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. APNI* 
Description: Perennial erect herb to 1 m high; spreading rhizomes forming large colonies; stems wingless, cobwebby to subglabrous.
Leaves with upper surface dark green, lower surface white-tomentose below, margins spinose; basal leaves oblanceolate, to 10 cm long, narrowed at base, sinuate to toothed; cauline leaves oblanceolate to lanceolate, pinnatifid, 1–7 cm long.
Heads globose, 8–15 mm diam.; involucral bracts lanceolate, outer 3- or 4-seriate, shortly spine-tipped, scarcely spreading. Florets pale mauve.
Achenes c. 3 mm long, smooth; pappus 20–25 mm long.
Flowering: December–February
Distribution and occurrence: Weed mainly on roadsides and wasteland, occasionally in pasture and cropland, in the Bega-Bombala, Guyra-Glen Innes, and Kosciusko districts. Native of Eur.
NSW subdivisions: *SC, *NT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS
Other Australian states: *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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