Cirsium neomexicanum

Family: Asteraceae
Common Name: New Mexico Thistle
Symbol: CINE
Description: Biennial or perennial. Basal leaves sessile or with winged petioles; cauline leaves alternate, much reduced distally, decurrent at the base with spiny wings up to 5 cm along the stem; blades lanceolate to elliptic or oblong, shallowly and regularly pinnately lobed, the lobes further toothed and tipped with spines 2-8 mm long, or blades rarely almost entire with spiny margins; surfaces pubescent with tangled, wooly hairs. Flower heads discoid, solitary or a few at the ends of stems and branches; involucre shallowly hemispheric to campanulate, pubescent with tangled woolly hairs; florets all discs, white to lavender or pink.