Musk Thistle 

Musk Thistle is known also as "nodding thistle" due to the position of the flowering head, which is angled downward, in nodding fashion. The flowering head is covered with densely-packed, thread-like, purple to lavender disk flowers. Ray flowers are absent. Involucral bracts are triangle-shaped, tinted purple, and point outwardly. Flowering heads occur singly at the tip of the stem. The stems, just below the flowering heads, lack conspicuous leaves, but are covered with cotton-like hairs. Lower leaves are long, relatively narrow, and have 6 to 12 evenly spaced lobes bearing numerous spines. Leaves higher on the stem may lack lobes, but have evenly spaced teeth bearing spines. Long, conspicuous, spiny, leaf-like, extensions, called "wings," are attached to the stem, and run lengthwise along its surface. Occurs on roadsides and fields, from June to October. European.