COMPOSITE, (composite FAMILY.) 447 



6. E. Ritro, L. 21 .5 to 1, glandless ; stem terete, canescent, 

 usually corymbose above. Leaves glabrescent or somewhat cobwebby- 

 lieecy at upper surface, canescent at lower, oblong, 1-2-pinnatisect into 

 lanceolate, slender, prickly lobes. Pencil one-tJiird to one-foiirth as 

 long as involucre ; scales of prismatic involucre about 20 ; bristles of 

 pappus united nearly to middle — September — Kai-Pok-Dagh (Amauus) 

 to Akherdagh, and northward. 



Var. iniiiimiis, Post. .3 to .4 high. Heads .02 to .025 in diame- 

 ter — Kai-Pok-Dagh (Amanus). 



49. ACA]^THOL.EPIS, Less. Acantholepis. 



Headlets collected into a hemispherical head, all erect, sessile on a 

 common receptacle, which is surrounded by a long, spreading involucre 

 in several rows. Involucre of the headlets in several rows, the outer 

 row forming a pencil of branching bristles, the intermediate and inner 

 changing gradually into oblong scales with pectinate, bristly margins 

 and aristate tips, all fleecy, free. Corolla regular, tube short, limb 

 cylindrical, 5-parted. Anthers with a short, barbed appendage at base. 

 Base of branches of style surrounded by hairs. Akenes villous ; 

 pappus chaffy, united at base — Low, annual, desert herbs. 



A. Orien talis, Less. © .05 to .2, fleecy, corymbose. Leaves 

 linear-laneeolate, entire or prickly at margin. Heads .02 in diameter, as 

 broad as involucre — June and July — Hauran to Qaryetein, Palmyrene 

 desert, and northward. 



50. CARDOPATIUM, Juss. Cardopatium. 



Heads homogamous, with few, equal flowerets. Involucre in several 

 rows, scales leathery, all except the inner ones pectinate-prickly. 

 Receptacle small, covered with fringed chaff. Limb of corolla 5-parted. 

 Filaments glabrous ; anthers ending in a long, fringed appendage. 

 Akenes o"vate, silky-villous, erect, with basilar hilum and obtuse tip. 

 Pappus persistent, chaffy, in 1-2 rows of needle-pointed, nearly free 

 pales — Spiny herbs with very numerous, sessile heads, crowded into 

 terminal, dense, corymbose clusters, subtended by crowded, spiny bracts. 



C corymboium, L. 1i -3 to .3 ; stem 2-3-forked above. 

 Root-leaves long, Imear-oblong in outline, 1-3-pinuatisect into oblong, 

 spiny-serrate lobes ; stem-leaves narrower, smaller. Heads ovate- 

 conical, 8-10-flowered, .01 long, .007 broad ; involucre spreading, 

 scales linear, keel-shaped, prickly-margmed — May to July — Dry 

 fields and hills ; coast and lower mountains and interior plains. 



51. XERAIXTHEMUM, L. Xeranthemum. 



Heads heterogamous, outer flowers few, neutral, with a small, 2- 

 lipped corolla, the rest tubular, with a 5-cleft-limb. Scales of involucre 

 imbricated, scarious. Receptacle with narrow, concave chaff, each 

 pale subtending one flower. Filaments free, glabrous ; anthers caudate 

 at base. Akenes appressed-hairy, tapering at base, slender-turbinate, 

 hilum at base. Pappus chaffy, pales 5-15, in one row, tapering-aristate, 

 united at base — Annual, unarmed, appressed-canescent herbs, with 

 elliptical to oblong-linear leaves. 



