Cotton thistle

Biennial taprooted herb to 1 m high; stems woolly or densely cobwebby, with continuous spinose wings c. 10 mm wide.

Leaves mostly cauline, lanceolate, 10–35 cm long, 3–10 cm wide, margins toothed with numerous robust spines to 10 mm long, base decurrent on stem, lower surface more densely tomentose than upper surface.