Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: giant sea holly

Family: Apiaceae (Carrot)

Synonym: Eryngium decaisneanum, Eryngium oligodon

Distribution: Central America

IUCN Red list: Not evaluated

Comments: An imposing plant, forming a dense clump of large, sword-shaped, spiny-margined blue-green leaves, to 1.5m. In late summer it produces stems to 2.5m, with axillary branches for their whole length, bearing many small, round, purplish-grey flower heads, which may mature to chocolate brown