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Technical Name: Cirsium texanum

This plant is native to the United States, and is very common in Texas. It’s in the Aster family. The flower-head consists of numerous star-shaped disc flowers.

A bud, top view

A bud, side view

A newly blossoming flower-head

Fully blossoming flower-head, top view, where you can really see the pollen on the tips. Notice the star shape of each individual flower within the flower-head.

The full plant

The leaves

A closed-up flower

A mostly spent flower