Dwarf Thistle is a
native
perennial plant of the UK, typically found growing in chalky grassland and dry grassland, to a mature height of up to 10cm.
The Dwarf Thistle is a very short thistle, which grows close to the ground from a flat wide rosette of spiny leaves. During the flowering period, it grows short spikes bearing scaly green flowerheads, each with a narrow tuft of purple ray flowers. These eventually open wide to display feathery finely-divided petals.
Botanic classification and naming: Dwarf Thistle is a member of the Daisy (Asteraceae) family. The genus name
'Cirsium' identifies the plant as a Thistle and its species name 'acaule' means 'stemless plant'.
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