Acanos Adanson.

Herbs, biennial. Stems erect, with spiny wings. Leaves toothed or pinnately lobed, spiny. Capitula single or few. Phyllaries numerous, imbricate, apex erect to reflexed but not hooked. Receptacle naked, alveolate. Stamen filaments papillose; anther with short entire to lacerate basal appendages. Style branches long. Achene obovoid, laterally compressed, with 3-5 ribs ending in inconspicuous apical rim; apical plate flat, disk not protruding. Pappus of 1 or several rows of scabrid or plumose bristles of unequal length.

About 40 species: C and SW Asia, Europe; two species in China.

(Authors: Shi Zhu (石铸 Shih Chu); Werner Greuter)