Mantisalca is a genus of plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae, it contains six described species.

[3][4] Annual or biennial herbs growing between 50 cm to 1.3 metres in size.

[5] Stem leaves sparse, much reduced, very narrow in length with parallel sides (linear) and toothed, with the teeth pointing towards the leaf tip (serrate).

[5] Flower heads are solitary with ray-florets absent and receptacle scales present.

[7][6][5] Mantisalca occurs primarily in northern Africa, southern Europe and Turkey.