Carduncellus pinnatus (Desf.) DC. / Homotypic Synonyms: Carthamus pinnatus Desf. / Syn. Carthamus pinnatus ssp. pinnatus., it is an acaulescent, sometimes with stem 2-20 cm, perennial herb. Stem when present simple, unbranched. monocephalic, with 2-4 cauline leaves. Leaves basal, rosetted, up to 25 cm long, lanceolate in outline, pinnate, glabrous but rachis somewhat lanate to arachnoid; pinnae (8-) 11-14 pairs, ovate to lanceolate-ovate, glaucous. entire, denlate-pinnatifid, margins and apices spiny; spines 1-2 mm long, brown; bases of the raches dilated. Capitula ovoid, blue or purple, 30-50 (-55) mm in diam. and 30-60 mm long, Supplementary involucral bracts in 1-2 rows, up to 60 mm long, and 30 mm wide, oblong in outline; basal parts 25 x 15, broadly ovate, glabrous many nerved, ± fleshy; upper parts 35 x 30 mm, oblong, foliaceous, pinnatisect, with lobes spiny or spiny dentate. Outer most involucral bracts 50 x 20 mm, appressed; basal parts 25 x 20 mm, oblong-ovate, glabrous, many nerved, coriaceous; upper halves foliaceous, pinnatisect with lobes congested, spiny margined. Involucral bracts of the 2nd row 45 x 20 mm, appressed; basal parts deltoid-ovate, glabrous. coriaceous, with c. 20 mm long, foliaceous. pinnatisect apices. Involucral bracts of the 3rd row 40 x20 mm, appressed, broadly ovate, coriaccus, glabrous, many nerved, margins near the apices with few, soft, lateral spinules and apices acute, prolonged into 2 mm long spines. Involucral bracts of the 4th row 40 x 15 mm, broadly lanceolate, coriaceous, hairy below the apices, many nerved, with scarious, lacerated apical appendages. Involucral bracts of the 5th row 40 x 10 mm, similar in texture, outline and apical appendage to the preceding ones. Inner most involucral bracts 42-43 x 6-7 mm, linear, coriaceous, many nerved, hairy below the apices, sharply acuto-acuminate. Corolla up to 55 mm long, violet; basal tube 44-45 mm long, slender, gradually widened above into more or less cylindrical tube of 10-11 x 0.75-1 mm; limb 5-lobed; lobes 9.5-10 mm long. Cypsela 7 x 4 mm long, broadly pyramidal, rugose, with somewhat obprominenl angles, reddish brown; pappus up to 35 mm, long, dirty white; setae smooth or seabrid in the upper parts.
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