Family Dipsacaceae

Family Dipsacaceae

The Teasel Family (Dipsacaceae) originated in Eurasia but teasels have escaped to grow as weeds in other places. The small flowers are packed into a dense head (capitulum) that is prickly in the true teasels (Dipsacus species). Dried capitula were once used to comb cloth to raise the nap. Flowering heads of this family look as if they might be an intermediate stage in the evolution of the very successful Daisy Family. [CH] {GW}