''Dipsacus pilosus'', or small teasel, is a species of

biennial Biennial means (an event) lasting for two years or occurring every two years. The related term biennium is used in reference to a period of two years. In particular, it can refer to: * Biennial plant, a plant which blooms in its second year and th ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the family

Caprifoliaceae The Caprifoliaceae or honeysuckle family is a clade of dicotyledonous flowering plants consisting of about 860 species, in 33, to 42 genera, with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution. Centres of diversity are found in eastern North America and ea ...

. The epithet small refers to the flower heads which are smaller, globular and made up of white flowers with violet anthers and woolly spines. Flowers from July to September. Small teasel prefers damp,

calcareous Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. In zoology ''Calcareous'' is used as an adje ...

soils especially along woodland edges and clearings but is also found along hedgerows and the banks of streams and rivers. Although often found amongst tall vegetation the seeds of small teasel require disturbance for germination. It therefore requires a habitat subject to occasional management if it is to persist. Seeds germinate best in the autumn.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q163711 Flora of Europe Caprifoliaceae Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus