198 FLOWERS OF WASTE PLACES, ETC. 



longer (16-18 mm.), and thus have no effect on the possibility of 

 reaching the honey; but the throat where the honey collects is much 

 longer, and is 4-6 mm. instead of i li mm. In the former, insect 



t> < 



visitors are less varied. It is visited more particularly by long-tongued 

 bumble bees and honey bees, butterflies, and flies, Bombus terrestris, B. 

 agrorum, B. lapidarius, B. campestris, Megackile, Polistes gracilis, Eri- 

 stalis tenax, and E. arbusforum, E. nemorum, Pieris brassica, Hesperia. 



The pappus is feathery, and the achenes thus well adapted to wind 

 dispersal. 



This handsome Thistle is more or less a clay-loving plant growing 

 on a clay soil, but will also subsist on sand soil or sandy loam. 



It is infested by the cluster-cup fungi Puccinia hieracii, P. cardui. 



Three Hymenoptera, Andrena filipes, A. denticulatus, Megackile 

 ligniscea; Lepidoptera, Conchy Us dubitana, Myelois cribrella, Gelechia 

 aciuninatella, Painted Lady (Pyrameis cardui\ Catoptilia scopoliana, 

 Cnephasia octoinaculana, Argyrolepia cnicana, Xanthosetia kamana, 

 Depressaria arenella, D. propinquella, D. Carduella, &c. ; and the flies 

 Lonch&a nigra, Ckeilosia variabilis, feed upon it. 



Cnicus, Tournefort, is Greek for a thistle-like plant, and the second 

 Latin name refers to the shape of the leaves. 



Names by which it is known include Bow Fistle, Bur, Cheese, 

 Dashel, Marian, Quat Vessel (Bank, Bell, Bird, Blue, Boar, Bow, 

 Buck, Bull, Bur, Horse, Scotch Thistle). The first name was given 

 because goldfinches feed on the seeds. Boar Thistle refers to the 

 strong prickles. Children blow the pappus, saying: 



" Marian, Marian, what's the time of day? 

 One o'clock, two o'clock, it's time we were away". 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



170. Cnicus lanceolatus, Willd. Stem tall, winged, leaves hairy, 

 lanceolate, decurrent, obovate, pinnatifid, lobes spinose, bifid, flower- 

 heads purple, scales woolly, spreading, lanceolate, involucres ovate, 

 pappus feathery. 



Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum, Gaertn.) 



The distribution of Milk Thistle is limited to Europe from Holland 

 southwards. It is unknown in early deposits. It is, moreover, not a 

 native of Britain, and in Scotland and Ireland is quite rare. 



The Milk Thistle is really only an introduction. It is found on 

 waste ground, or in gardens where it has been sown with garden 



