Centaurea calcitrapa
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 Young plant
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| Centaurea calcitrapa L. |
The Purple star thistle or Caltrop is a plant native of Europe. The Caltrop has spiny, pink-purple flower heads. It can be annual or biennial and has been naturalized in America. The common name "Caltrop" comes from the resemblance of the spiny flower head to the caltrop, an ancient instrument of war.
