Linnaeus, C. (1 May 1753), Species Plantarum 2: 821 [tax. nov.]

• Type: "Habitat in Europae ad pagos. ♂"

Bailey, F.M. (1905), Botany. Contributions to the Flora of Queensland. Queensland Agricultural Journal 15(8): 899 [secondary reference]

Bailey, F.M. (1913), Comprehensive Catalogue of Queensland Plants: 276 [secondary reference]

Kazmi, S.M.A. (1964), Revision der Gattung Carduus (Compositae). Mitteilungen der Botanischen Staatssammlung Munchen 5: 323 [secondary reference]

• Type: "LINNE 966-2 (LINN)"

Kazmi, S.M.A. (1964), Revision der Gattung Carduus (Compositae). Mitteilungen der Botanischen Staatssammlung Munchen 5: 322-324 [secondary reference]

Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. & Leigh, J.H. (1981), Plants of Western New South Wales: 723-724 [secondary reference]

common name: Musk Thistle [n/a] common name: Nodding Thistle [n/a]

Jacobs, S.W.L. & Pickard, J. (1981), Plants of New South Wales: 74 [secondary reference]

Green, J.W. (1985), Census of the Vascular Plants of Western Australia Edn. 2: 164 [secondary reference]

Cooke, D.A. in Jessop, J.P. & Toelken, H.R. (ed.) (1986), Flora of South Australia Edn. 4, 3: 1628 [secondary reference]

Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (2008), Australian Plant Census: - [secondary reference]

• APC Dist.: WA (formerly naturalised), NSW (naturalised), ACT (naturalised), Vic (naturalised), Tas (naturalised)

Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (2008), Australian Plant Census: - [misapplied]

misapplied to: Onopordum tauricum Willd. legitimate by Cooke, D.A. in Jessop, J.P. & Toelken, H.R. (ed.) (1986), Flora of South Australia Edn. 4, 3: 1628

Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (2011), Australian Plant Census: - [secondary reference]

nomenclatural synonym: Carduus nutans L. subsp. nutans legitimate

• APC Dist.: WA (naturalised), NSW (naturalised), ACT (naturalised), Vic (naturalised), Tas (naturalised)

Bean, A.R. in Wilson, A.J.G. (ed.) (2015), Asteraceae Subfam. 2. Carduoideae Trib. 1. Cardueae. Flora of Australia 37: 52, Plate 1, map [secondary reference]

doubtful taxonomic synonym: Carduus macrocephalus Desf. legitimate doubtful taxonomic synonym: Carduus nutans subsp. macrocephalus (Desf.) Nyman nom. illeg. common name: Nodding Thistle [n/a]

de Salas, M.F. & Baker, M.L. (2016), Tasmanian vascular plant census. A Census of the Vascular Plants of Tasmania, including Macquarie Island: 11 [secondary reference]

Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (31 July 2018), Australian Plant Census: - APC [secondary reference]

nomenclatural synonym: Carduus nutans L. subsp. nutans legitimate doubtful taxonomic synonym: Carduus macrocephalus Desf. legitimate doubtful taxonomic synonym: Carduus nutans subsp. macrocephalus (Desf.) Nyman nom. illeg. doubtful taxonomic synonym: Carduus nutans var. macrocephalus (Desf.) B.Boivin legitimate doubtful taxonomic synonym: Carduus nutans subsp. acrocephalus N.C.W.Beadle orth. var.

• APC Dist.: WA (naturalised), NSW (naturalised), ACT (naturalised), Vic (naturalised), Tas (naturalised)

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