Onopordum illyricum
Onopordum illyricum is a species of thistle known by the common name Illyrian thistle, or Illyrian cottonthistle.  It is native to southwestern Europe, but has been introduced into Australia and California, where it has become a noxious weed.

The plant is a biennial herb producing an erect, branching, winged, spiny stem known to exceed two meters in maximum height. The spiny leaves may be up to  long and are divided into deep toothed lobes. The inflorescence bears several large flower heads each up to  wide. They are lined with spiny, woolly to cobwebby phyllaries and bear many narrow glandular purple flowers each about  long. The fruit is a cylindrical achene  long topped with a white pappus  in length.

References

External links
Jepson Manual Treatment
Illyrian Thistle in Victoria
Photo gallery

illyricum
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus