A somewhat tall Eryngo (30-90 cm) with 1 or 2 upright stems. Its base leaves are grassy looking, and when examined each leaf dissects into 3-4(5) long, grassy lobes (1-3 mm wide); the stem leaves are similar (3-divided) but less prominent. The stems mature with a lilac tinge in the upper part with a display of 8-15 heads, appearing August (bumblebees visiting). At the base of each flower head is a whorl of 5-6 slender spine-leaves that are larger than the heads, and within a head each small flower is attended by a smallish simple spine. It naturally grows in open serpentine pine forest at high altitude (1600-1700 m) in the Central Taurus Mountains.
It is distinguished in Turkey from other Eryngium with grassy leaves by the lower number (3-4(5)) of long grassy lobes on the base leaves, in the similar Eryngium palmito (Photos) they are divided into 5-7, whilst Eryngium wanaturi leaves are undivided (to 1 cm wide). Beyond Turkey its allies are Eryngium ternatum (Crete; basal leaves dividing into 1-3 long lobes, floral bracteoles all 3-parted) and Eryngium serbicum (NW. Balkan Peninsula & Albania; basal leaves dividing into 4-5, whorled bracts 7-8).[3]
