title: Cirsium acaule
text: # Cirsium acaule
  
  Cirsium acaule or acaulon has the English name dwarf thistle or stemless thistle. It is widespread across much of Europe. It is often found on short, calcerous grasslands.
  
  ## Description
  
  Cirsium acaule is a perennial herb. The leaves are a spreading rosette, spiny, 10 to 15 cm long.
  
  There is usually only one flower head, although there can sometimes be 2 or 3. Usually it is not stalked from the leaf rosette. The flower head is 3 to 4 cm long, the florets are red/purple. They flower from June to September.
  
  