Low stemless or almost stemless plant with a rosette of deep green, spiny leaves. Flowerheads usually solitary, purple 20 to 40 mm borne directly on the leaf rosette.

In flower it is unlikely to be confused; but the leaf rosettes are similar to many other thistles

Flowerheads sessile, or very shortly stalked

Dry grassy habitats, especially grazed pastures, on calcareous soils.

June to September.

Perennial.

Local in England and southern Wales north to Yorkshire.

Mainly found in the east of Leicestershire and parts of Rutland it is approaching the northern limit of its range in VC55. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 62 of the 617 tetrads.

In the current checklist (Jeeves 2011) it is listed as Native; short calcareous grassland; occasional