Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Dipsacus pilosus

Family

Dipsacaceae

Flowering season

July to September

English distribution

It is found throughout the country except for the far

Southwest and parts of the North.

See the BSBI distribution map for - Small Teasel

Habitat

It grows on stream banks and other damp habitasts.

Description

Small Teasel is a native, biennial, prickly herb,

growing up to 1.5m.

Flowerheads are spherical, up to 2.5cm and on

long prickly flower stems.

Individual flowers are white tubes up to 9mm with

4 unequal lobes.

There are 4 stamens with long white filaments and

protruding dark violet anthers.

The style is white with a linear oblique white stigma.

Receptical bracts on the flowerheads are dark,

ovate-triangular, with long silky hairs and spine tipped.

The main bracts are wide spreading, narrowly

triangular, spine-tipped and with  silky hairs.

Basal leaves (not shown) are in a rosette.

Stem leaves are oval to elliptical with small, basal

unequal leaflets.

The stem is erect, angled, furrowed and lightly

prickled.

Small Teasel is much smaller than Wild Teasel