COMPOSITiE. (composite FAMILY.) 463 



* * * Stemless plants. Floicerets purple. 

 27 C. Trachonitica. 



VII. Scales membranous or coriaceous, appressed, densely pecti7iate- 

 ciliate, ending in a spinescent mucro. Flowers yelloio. Pap)p>us suhpAumose. 

 Annuals. 



38 C. Balsamita, 29 balsamitoides. 



VIII. Scales of involucre with a hroad, delicate, translucent margin^ 

 entire or denticulate, ending in a slender spine about as long as they. 



30 C. crocodylium, 31 heterocarpa. 



IX. Scales of involucre leathery, not membranous-margined, tiptped 

 with a short, j^ricJdy appendage or spine. Flowers yellow. Leaves decur- 

 rent. Perennials or biennials. 



32 C. Babylonica, 33 myriocepliala, 34 Behen. 



X. Scales of involucre ending in a spine, usually long and stout, with 

 pinnate pricMes on each side. Upper leaves deeurrent oi" auricled at base. 

 Annuals or perennials. 



35 C. Verutum, 36 solstitialis, 37 Siuaica, 38 ^gyptiaca, 39 Postii. 



XI. Intermediate scales of involucre produced into a long spine with 

 pricTdes at the base only. Stem-leaves not deeurrent, rarely auricled at 

 base. Biennials. 



40 C. procurrens, 41 Calcitrapa, 42 Iberica, 43 pallescens, 44 

 araneosa, 



XII. Scales of involucre tipped with a palmate-spiny appendage. 

 Perennials. 



45 C. lyeopifolia, 46 cbeiracantha, 47 hololeuca. 



1. C. perganiacca, DC. If .1 to .6, villous-canescent ; stems 

 simple or sparingly branched ; branches 1-headed. Leaves pinnatipart- 

 ed into oblong to linear-lanceolate, entire lobes ; upper very small, pin- 

 natifid or entire. Heads ovate, .01 to .02 long ; scales of involucre 

 straw-colored, with inflated, hood-Wke, obtuse, muticous appendages ; 

 flowerets pink — April and May — Merj (Damascus) ; el- Jebel-el-Abiad 

 (Palmy rene desert). 



2. C €a§sia, Boiss. 11. .6 to 1, scabrous, green ; stems slender, 

 rigid, sparingly branched above. Leaves pitted, the radical short- 

 petioled, lyrate-pinnatiparted, the upper oblong-ellipitical, entire. Heads 

 medium, globular ; appendages of scales pale-brown, ovate, rather 

 broader than scales, those of inner scales hooded ; flowerets pink — 

 June — Woods ; Cassius. 



3. C. Cyaiius, L. © .2 to .3, sparingly flocculentor cobwebby, 

 branching. Leaves obovate-lanceolate, undivided or lyrate, to linear- 

 lanceolate ojia linear-acuminate, not deeurrent. Heads ovate, .01 to .014 

 long ; margin of involucre-scales scarious, rust-colored, with white- 

 tipped, triangular teeth, half vl?, long as breadth of scale ; intermediate 

 row of pappus somewhat shorter than akcne — May — Fields ; Beirut 

 (probably introduced). 



