Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis
La graciosa thistle, La Graciosa Thistle
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered
Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis (La graciosa thistle) is a native California perennial in the Asteraceae family, recognized by coastal wetland habitat and long spines diagnostic.
La graciosa thistle is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in the southern Central Coast region of southwestern San Luis Obispo and northwestern Santa Barbara counties in marsh and dune wetland habitats at elevations below 50 meters. Flowering from April to September, this thistle produces white to faintly purple-tinged flowers in dense clusters with involucres 2 to 3.5 centimeters wide. Growing with stems 10 to 100 centimeters tall that are generally branched throughout, it forms a basal rosette with distinctive spiny leaves. Its leaves have main leaf spines 3 to 10 millimeters long and appear mostly glabrous on the underside, with outer phyllary spine tips ranging 1 to 6 millimeters. The flower heads are sessile or short-peduncled, closely surrounded by the basal rosette or clustered at branch tips.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; coastal wetland habitat and long spines diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Marshes, dune wetlands
Elevation: < 50 m
California counties: Kern, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo
Bloom period
Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis blooms Apr-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered
How to tell it apart
vs Carduus: Cirsium has fluffy, feathery seed tufts; Carduus has rough bristles or no pappus and continuous spiny wings down the stem.; vs Silybum: Cirsium leaves are plain green; Silybum has bright white marbling along the leaf veins.; vs Sonchus: Cirsium has thistle-type flowers with spine-tipped bracts; Sonchus has dandelion-like flowers and milky sap.; vs Cynara: Cirsium heads are 1-6 cm across; Cynara heads are massive (4-15 cm, tennis ball sized) with fleshy bases.; vs Centaurea: Cirsium has linear bracts without appendages; Centaurea bracts have fringed or comb-like tips.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis native to California?
Yes. Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis bloom?
Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis blooms Apr-Sep.
Where in California does Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis grow?
Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis occurs in Kern, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, at elevations of < 50 m.
What plant family does Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis belong to?
Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis is in the Asteraceae family, genus Cirsium.
Is Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis rare or endangered?
Cirsium scariosum var. loncholepis carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.