Centaurea calcitrapa

"Centaurea calcitrapa" is a species of flowering plant known by several common names, including common star thistle, red star-thistle and purple star thistle. It is native to Europe but is known across the globe as an introduced species and often a noxious weed. The species name "calcitrapa" comes from the word "caltrop", a type of weapon covered in sharp spikes.