About Cirsium parryi (A.Gray) Petr.
Cirsium parryi, commonly known as Parry's thistle, is a species of North American flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it has been found in Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Cirsium parryi is a biennial herb with a hairy stem that can grow 200 cm (80 inches) tall or more. Its leaves are oblong or lance-shaped, between 10 and 30 centimeters (4–12 inches) long. Leaves are often toothed or partially divided into lobes, and lower leaves usually wither by the time the plant blooms. The inflorescence can hold many flower heads, located at the end of the stem and near the upper leaves. Each flower head is up to 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) wide, with spiny bracts at its base. The spiny phyllaries along the sides of the flower head are green with brownish tips. Each head holds many flowers that are generally yellowish, sometimes purplish or white. The species produces no ray florets. The fruit is an achene that may be over 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) long when including its pappus. This plant grows in moist locations including coniferous forests, meadows, and areas near streams. This species may form hybrids with C. grahamii in Arizona and C. canescens in Colorado.
