COMPOSITJE. 217 



C. BENEDl CTA. — Involucre doubly spinous, woolly, bractate ; Zea»es 

 somewhat decurrent, dentate, spiny. Native of Spain. Its peculiar names 

 are in consequence of its early reputation for curing fever, plague and cancers. 

 it is at present in no estimation whatever. Naturalized intields. June. Ann 



Blessed Thistle. 



C SOLSTITIA'LIS. — Involucre palniate-spinous, terminal, solitary; 

 spuje straight •, leaves lanceolate, decurrent, without prickles, radical ones 

 lyrate. From Europe. Said to be naturalized. St. Baniaby's TIdstle. 



50. ONOPO'RDON. 

 Heads discoid, homogamoiis ; involucre vcntricose, imbri- 

 cate with spreading, spinous scales ; receptacle deeply alveo- 

 late; pappus copious, capillary, scabrous ; achenia 4-angled. 



Gr. o'joij and ttiq^o); the application of which to the present noble genus is 

 not obvious. Lanre branching herbs with decurrent leaves. 



0. aca'nthium. 



Involucre scales spreading, subulate ; leaves ovate-oblong, decurrent, sinuate, 

 spinous, woolly on both sides. This fine looking thistle occurs naturalized in 

 waste grounds, and is about 3 feet in hight. The whole plant has a while, 

 cottony appearance. Stem winged by the decurrent leaves which are 

 unusually large. Involucre round, cottony, spinous. Flowers purple. July, 

 Aug. Bien. Cotton Thistle. 



51. C Y N A' R A . 



Heads discoid, homogamous ; involucre dilated, imbricate, 



scales fleshy, emarginale, pointed; receptacle setaceous; 



pappus plumose; achenia not beaked. 



Gr. x-voJv, a dng ; the stiif, hard spines of the involucre resemble the teeth 

 of a dog. Natives of the Old World. 



1. C. Sco'lymus. 



icatYS subspinose, pinnate and undivided ; involucre scales ovate. Native 

 of S. Europe, naturalized in gardens and cultivated grounds. A well-known 

 garden esculent. The parts used are the receptacle, (he lower part of the 

 involucre and the upper portion of the stalk. It is cultivated from suckers 

 placed in rows, 3 feet apart. Aug. Sept. Per. Garden Artichoke. 



2. C. CARDU'NCULUS. — Lc«ye5 spiny, all pinnalifid ; involucre scales 

 ovate. Native of Candia. Flowers purple. This plant is blanched by having 

 earth heaped up around it, and then the petioles become tender, crisp and 

 eatable, like celery. Aug. Sept. Per. Cardoon. 



5 2. C I' R S I U M . 

 Heads discoid, homogamous; involucre subglobose. cf 

 many rows of spinose-pointed, imbricated scales; receptacle 

 bristly; style scarcely divided; pappus copious, ()lumose ; 

 achenia compressed, smooth. 



Gr. jttgo-to)', is a name given by Pliny to a certain kind of thistle. Herbs 

 with alternate leaves generally armed with spinose Dtickles, Floweis cyanjc. 



T 



