A biennial herb of the genus Dipsacus (family Caprifoliaceae) up to 2.5 m tall with leaves joined at the base to form a cup around the stem that collects water. The purple, lavender, or pink inflorescence is a capitulum. Both leaves and stem are very prickly and the seed heads bear curved spines. The plant may be partly carnivorous. Dried flower heads of fuller’s teasel (D. fullonum) were formerly used industrially to raise the nap on woven fabrics and are preferred by some craft weavers. There are about 15 species occurring in Eurasia, Sri Lanka, and tropical Africa.