28 FAMILIAR WILL FLOWERS. 



of the genus is almost literally the same as that used by 

 our Anglo-Saxon forefathers, thistel. The flowers of the 

 present species have a very peculiar but fragrant scent, 

 though we should hardly have thought of comparing it 

 ourselves to musk, or calling the plant the musk thistle, 

 on the strength of the resemblance in odour. 



The nodding thistle is a biennial, and will ordinarily 

 be found in blossom from about the end of May to the 

 beginning of October. The plant grows from two to three 

 feet high ; the stems are stout and but little branched, 

 and give the thistle a sturdy self-assertive appearance, 

 that is no doubt really the result of the necessities of its 

 position, as no plant of feeble growth could stand against 

 the force of the winds as they sweep across the open 

 moorland. The leaves are long and very deeply cut, their 

 bases are prolonged some little distance down the stem, 

 giving it a very prickly character. The flower-heads are 

 large, the largest of all our thistle blooms, and very 

 handsome both in form and colour. The involucre from 

 which they spring the part corresponding in position to 

 the calyx in flowers of simpler type is very large and 

 prickly, and has a peculiar webbing of hairy or woolly 

 lines. 



