Cirsium pitcheri (Torr.) Torr. & A.Gray

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Asteraceae

• Scientific Name

  Cirsium pitcheri (Torr. ex Eaton) Torr. & A.Gray

• Description

  Species Description - Taprooted biennial or monocarpic perennial, 5–10 dm; stem and lower lf-surfaces densely and persistently white-tomentose, the upper lf-surfaces more thinly so; lvs deeply pinnatifid, with narrow rachis and long, remote, linear, entire or few-toothed, weakly spine-tipped lobes to 8 cm × 7 mm; heads several, white or whitish; invol 2.5–3 cm, its bracts slightly tomentose especially marginally, well imbricate, the inner long-acuminate, the others with weak spine-tip 1–2 mm; achenes 5–7.5 mm; 2n=34. Sand dunes around lakes Michigan and Huron and e. Lake Superior, in Ont., Mich., Wis., Ind., and formerly Ill. May–Sept.

• Common Names

  dune-thistle