Carduus crispus subsp. crispus

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 225

(a) Subsp. crispus :

Wings of stem broadly triangular, dentate and obtuse, only the mid-vein raised beneath in its distal Cauline leaves lobed for |(-|) of way to midrib, with 4-6 pairs of shallow lobes each with an apical spine up to 2 mm, the veins not raised, more or less densely greyish-arachnoid-hairy beneath. Inner involucral bracts yellowish. 2и= 16. C., E. & S. Europe.