ON THE CHALK 



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lobes, a long, flattened tube, and a slender spur. The plant flowers 

 from June to September. 



Of the Composite flowers we shall note two species, the first 

 being the Woolly-headed Plume-thistle {Carduus eriophonis), 

 common in chalky 

 fields, where it 

 throws up its large, 

 cottony heads to 

 a height of from 

 three to five feet 

 during July and 

 August. In order 

 to distinguish it 

 from other similar 

 thistles we must 

 note that its stem 

 is not winged, and 

 that the deeply- 

 divided leaves, 

 with bifid lobes, 

 half clasp the stem 

 at the base ; also 

 that the involucre 

 bracts are lanceo- 

 late, with long, 

 reflexed spines. 

 The heads of this 

 thistle are of a 

 pale piu-ple colour, 

 of a globular form, 

 two to three inches 

 in diameter, and 

 covered with a 

 thick, cottony 

 growth. 



Our other example of the Composite flowers is the Ploughman's 

 Spikenard [Inula Conyza), which is common on chalky banks and 

 pastures, flowering from July to September. It is an erect, downy 

 plant, from two to five feet high, with oval, lanceolate, downy 

 leaves of a dull green colour. The upper leaves are entire and sessile, 

 while the lower are toothed and stalked. The numerous flower- 



THE YELLOW-WORT. 



