Another species, Acanthus spinosus, is so called from its spiny leaves.
Large flowing leaves of acanthus and other plants were beaten out with wonderful spirit and beauty of curve.
It has twenty-four columns of Carystian (cipollino) marble, with capitals probably of Byzantine work with swelling acanthus leaves; but the rest of the church is due to native architects.
The greater part of its body is covered by a pattern of acanthus leaves, but on the shoulder is a frieze showing nomads breaking in wild mares, our chief authority for Scythian costume.
The best - known is Acanthus mollis (brankursine, or bears' breech), a common species throughout the Mediterranean region, having large, deeply cut, hairy, shining leaves.