These odd and nasty-looking weeds were along the path leading to Murphy’s Haystacks. Their inner formation is quite beautiful, but one look at the thorns is enough to deter tactile inspection. I’ve tried to find out what they are called but have drawn a blank.
They’re odd enough for Becky’s squares this month.
Underdown 
Even noxious weeds can be beautiful, but they’re still bad! Love the second photo and its abstract quality.
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It’s what drew me to photograph them. So fascinating, like decorative little jam buns with poisonous spikes. Definitely something out of fairy tales.
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Onopordum thistles (Cotton and Stemless)
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https://nre.tas.gov.au/invasive-species/weeds/weeds-index/declared-weeds-index/onopordum-thistles-(cotton-and-stemless)
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Oh that takes the cake! Thank you, Andrew, I have a name. I’ll check it’s control etc in SA.
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Yes. Do that,let me know.
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Andrew, I’ve looked it up and it was introduced to Adelaide in 1845, then spread to Vic 1925 and WA 1955. It doesn’t mention NSW except to say it’s noxious there, Vic, WA and Tas , but not SA. What? Yes. Probably was in Tas or NSW before, as they’re older. Estimated that 1.6 million hectares of Australia is infested by it. Lucky we’re big, right?
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Very lucky it looks yucky
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Whatever it is it’s rather beautiful.
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Yes, isn’t it. Evil little plant.
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Most would call it a notorious weed and I should know it but I don’t There is a weed book out with pictures and don’t remember the name. Some think it is a beautiful plant and before you know it the area is full of these plants. Tumbleweed is a nice plant as it grows, the same is true of puncture weed but seeds are very painful and they are passed by animals as they walk through the area. I will get off the bandbox. This is a throne in the control of plants.
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Thanks for such a detailed comment, Betty Louise. I bet it’s introduced and, as Australia is still young in terms of European settlement, I wanted to let the group responsible for noxious weeds know of it. A name helps, but a photo is good, too.
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The names I used are common. Puntureweed young plant a lovely. This would brought NA in hay deliverary. In middle of of scenic mountain it took over large acres. They finnally used goats. Some bodykeeps herd of goats makesa living with I went to the Wasngton State master gardner office to answer question and I learned a lot from them. I am sorry butat 90 years old my memory is not good as it. On our trip we didn’t shots of weeds. I donated most of my books to local library. I did look for my derest wid book Desert Wildr my Edmund C. Jeager. It has been date recently. All members of the Thistle family can spread and take area if let the youngs plants grow. I wish I could help you better.
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Exactly what I thought when I ventured closer to it.
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We’d want to grow that in our flower beds here, what a spectacular plant!! Not sure I’d want to be the one though to remove it when it grows where it shouldn’t!!
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