About Cirsium quercetorum (A.Gray) Jeps.
Cirsium quercetorum is a perennial thistle that usually grows in clumps low to the ground, reaching less than 20 cm (8 inches) in height. Occasionally, it grows upright and can reach 90 cm (36 inches) tall. Its leaves are spiny, lobed, and toothed. It produces spiny flower heads that hold disc florets ranging in color from brownish ivory-tan white to purple, and it does not produce ray florets. This species is endemic to the Outer California Coast Ranges; its range extends from Point Conception in Santa Barbara north into the San Francisco Bay Area, and continues up the North Coast as far as Humboldt County. It is a common plant that grows in coastal grasslands and open woodlands.
