star thistle

or star-this·tle


noun

any of several naturalized Eurasian plants of the genus Centaurea, especially C. calcitrapa, having purplish, spiny flower heads.

British Dictionary definitions for star thistle

star thistle

noun

any of several plants of the genus Centaurea, esp C. calcitrapa, of Eurasia, which has spiny purplish flower heads: family Asteraceae (composites) See also centaury (def. 2)

Word Origin for star thistle

C16: so called because it has a thistle-shaped flower surrounded by radiating spines