thistle - any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves

Carlina, genus Carlina - genus of Mediterranean thistles

Carlina acaulis, stemless carline thistle - stemless perennial having large flowers with white or purple-brown florets nestled in a rosette of long spiny leaves hairy beneath; of alpine regions of southern and eastern Europe

Carlina vulgaris, common carline thistle - Eurasian thistle growing in sand dunes and dry chalky soils