Family: Asteraceae Dwarf Thistle Cirsium acaule Flowering time: June - September. Perennial Found on species-rich, short calcareous grasslands, mainly southern and eastern England and in the midlands. Absent from Scotland and Ireland. Basal rosette of very spiny, wavy-edged leaves. The reddish-purple flowers arise from the centre of the basal rosette, usually solitary and unstalked. Flowers 3-4cm tall. Sometimes known as the Picnic Thistle as it is easily sat on by mistake!

Dwarf Thistle, Cirsium acaule
Studland, Dorset. August 2007