38 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



SPECIES VII.— CENT A UREA SOLSTITI ALIS. Linn. 



Plate DCCXII. 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XV. Tab. DCCXCV. Fig. 1. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 266. 



Annual. Stem winged throughout, much branched. Radical 

 leaves lyrate-pinnatifid, those in the middle and upper part of the 

 stem strapshaped, entire, decurrent. Anthodes without leaves in 

 their immediate vicinity. Pericline ovate-ovoid, usually arachnoid ; 

 appendages of the phyllaries at the base of the pericline with the 

 main spine rather short, those in the middle with the spine longer 

 than the pericline ; spines not channelled on the upper side at the 

 base, with 2 or 3 short spines on each side near the base. Plorets 

 bright - yellow, those of the ray shorter than the fertile ones. 

 Pappus longer than the acliene. 



In lucerne and sainfoin fields. Rare, and not native. It 

 seems to be most persistent in the South-east of Kent. 



[England.] Annual. Late Autumn. 



Plant forming a scrubby bush 18 inches to 2 feet high, with 

 the lower part of the stems very stiff, almost woody ; branches 

 when young soft, with very broad wings decurrent from the short 

 strapshaped leaves. Pericline f to ^ inch across ; the spines of the 

 middle phyllaries ^ to 1 inch across, pale-yellow ; inner phyllaries 

 with scarious appendages. Achenes white, wdth a long pappus 

 of soft white hairs. Plant hoary, arachnoid-pubescent. 



St. Barnaby^s Thistle. 



French, Centauree du Solstice. German, Sonnenioende Flockcnhlume. 



This plant obtains its trivial name from being supposed to flower about the 

 1U1\ .Inne, old style, St. Barnabas-day. Before the alteration in style, the summer 

 solstice fell on the 12th June, the day after St. Barnabas, and the old nursery rhyme 

 was more appropriate : — 



" Barnaby — Barnaby bright, 

 The longest day and the shortest night." 



Sub-Order II.— CORYMB IF ERiE. 



Anthodes with the florets of the disk generally perfect and 

 tubular, those of the margin female (or rarely neuter) and ligulate 

 {hetei'ogaiiious and radiant) ; more rarely with all the florets tubular, 



