SPEAR THISTLE 



197 



This is one of our tinest, tidiest, and stron^esl thistles. The S[)ear 

 Thistle is tall and erect in habit. The stem is erect, stout, hairy, tur- 

 rowed, with strong" spinous wings. The leaves are inversc-ly egg- 

 shaped, lance-shaped, tiee[)ly divided nearly to the base, running down 

 the stem, white and cottony below, the lobes large, few, divided into 

 two nearly to the base, the segments entire, lance-shaped, with stout 

 long spines. The riower-stalk is short. The llorels are purple. 



nM. 



Photo, li. Hanley 



Si"EAR Thistle (Cnuus lanreolalus, Wilkl. ) ' 



The flowerhcad is large, not so cottony as in woolly-headed Tliistle, 

 terminal. solitar\- or 2-3, in groups, erect. 1 he involucre is egg- 

 shaped, shaggy, cottony, the phyllaries lance-shaped, awl-likc. with 

 a strong midrib, spreading, spinous, the spines long. The haiit is 

 striped, !;mooth, shining. The pappus is feathery. 



Spear Thistle is about ,3 ft. high. Flowers are found from lune to 

 .September. The plant is a deciduous herbaceous plant, biennial, 

 propagated by seeds. 



The flowerheads are much as in C. anri/sis, but the honey is not 

 so accessible. The narrow tubes ol" tin- llorels and imolucre are much 



' Not improbably these radical leaves belong to the Marsh Thistle, Inil the plioto. shows the similar 

 rosette habit of Spear Thistle at this stage. 



