little cordate at the base, apiculate at the point, coriaceous, the 

 margin often quite entire, at other times strongly spinol 

 denticulate, mostly glabrous above and reticulated, beneath gla- 

 brous or canescent and subtomentose. Petioles u-r\ short, at 

 the base beneath having an excrescence or pule inula*, terminating 

 in a curved spine. Peduncle* axillary in the long terminal 

 branches, corymbose, but paniculate as they advance to matu- 

 rity, beariug small leafy, ovate bract*. Flowers or capitula \ 

 small. Involucre of a few imbricating, green, oblong scales. 

 Florets pale-purple, about five, hermaphrodite, two-lipped ; 

 ternal lip three-toothed, inner one bipartite. Achenia minute ; 

 pappus of many slender hairs, a little thickened upwards, and 

 then rough, at first upright, at length spreading, and collectively 

 forming a plumose mass, of great length and breadth. 



Fig 1. Leaf, partially toothed at the mar-in, with the cushioned spine at the 

 base of the petiole,— «a^«/-«Z she. 2. Capitulum. :;. - floret 4. EUif 



from the pappus : — more or less magnified. 



