Cirsium scariosum is a variable species growing in a variety of habitat types. It is made up of several geographic races, most of which have been previously classified as species. The races
intergrade but their
morphologies can also be quite different. This is generally a
biennial or
perennial herb. It takes three main forms, a stemless, flat rosette with a cluster of
flower heads in the centre, a mounding form with a short, erect stem, or a fully erect form reaching up to in height. When there is a stem it is usually fleshy, ridged, and woolly in texture. The leaves are sharply toothed or cut into toothed lobes, lined with spines, and up to at their longest near the base of the plant. The
inflorescence holds several
flower heads, each up to 4 centimeters long and 5 cm wide. The
flower head is lined with
phyllaries which may have spines and teeth and filled with white to purple
disc florets but no
ray florets. The fruit is a compressed
achene a few millimetres long topped with a
pappus which may be 3 centimeters in length. ==Varieties==