1862 Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.

This variable species is considered to occur as an indigenous plant in most of Europe and W. and C. Asia. From Russia through Asia and towards the east subsp. setosum Iljin prevails. In the southern part of the European and W. Asiatic range it is partly replaced by subsp. vestitum Petrak. On the whole, the species is favoured by agriculture. From the Eurasiatic area it has spread as a weed to several parts of the world, for instance N. and S. America, Australia and New Zealand. The species belongs nowadays to the circumpolar plants (Hultén, Circumpol. Il, p. 290 and map 281).