COMPOSITJE. (CO.VfPOSITB FAMILY). 469 



34. C. Belieii, L. (D 2^ Bihrnea. 1 to 1.5, spariagly papillose- 

 pubescent ; steiifhfi iaterrwpte'U'j romged with deaarreiit leaves^ corymbose. 

 Leaves firai, with elevated nerves and veins, those of root large, 

 petioled, oblong, entire or pinnatifid to lyrate ; stem-leaves oblong, 

 entire, pinnately lobed, decurrent at bas-B ; those of branches minute, 

 elliptical-linear. Heads ovate-conical, .03 to .03 long ; scales of in- 

 volucre acute, with a very short, prickly mucro — May to July — Dry 

 places ; middle to subalpine mountain zone ; Sha'rab, between Hems 

 and Tripoli. 



Var. §iibbracteata, Boiss. Leaves of peduncles sometimes as 

 long as heads, but always linear — Coast ; Lebanon ; Aiutab. 



Var. brach^^ptera, Boiss. Wings of upper leaves short ; heads 

 smaller — Merj-'Aydn ; Antilebanon. 



35. C. Verutuiu, L. .6 to 1.3 _; stem leafy, simple or stiff- 

 branched, branches with narrow, entire wings. Lower leaves ohlong^ 

 sinurtte-pinnatifid to hjrate, the rest or all linear-lanceolate^ entire. Heads 

 terminal^ solitary^ globular^ .03 in diameter, concave-triuicate at base; 

 lateral prickles of involucre-spmes minute, 1-3 on each side toward 

 middle of spine ; flowerets yellow — June — Borders of fields; coast 

 and lower mountain zones, and interior plains. 



36. C solstitialis, L, .3 to 1, appressed-cobwebby, canes- 

 cent ; stem and branches rigid, winged, the latter spreading. Lower 

 leaves lyrate, stem-leaves linear, entire, decurrent into entire wings as 

 long as inter nodes. Heads terminal, solitary, ovate, .01 to .015 long ; 

 lower scales of involucre terminating in 3, short prickles, the inter- 

 mediate in a slender, sharp spine as long as the head or twice as long, 

 with 2 prickles on each side at base ; flowerets yellow — April to June 



— Common from coast to subalpine regions. 



37. C. §inaica, DC. .3 to .3. cobwebby, branching from 

 neck, dichotomous, proliferous; wings narrow, shorter than internode. 

 Leaves linear, with remote, irregular, oblong lobes, or dentate, or entire. 

 Heads in forks or terminal, short-peduucled, solitary, ovate, .01 to .015 

 long, somewhat bracted by upper leaves ; spines of of involucre with 

 3-3, rather remote prickles on each side ; Howera Jiesh-cotored — April 



— Hills and valleys about the Dead Sea to Sinai, 



3§. C. iEgyptiaca, L. Yamrur. Tamrdr. (2) .15 to .3, dense- 

 ly crisp-papillose, canescent, branching from base ; branches leafy, 

 forked, proliferous, 1-3-lieaded. Leaves linear-oblong, pinnatipartite 

 or cut into oblong to linear, toothed or lobed segments, the upper 

 nearly entire, minutely aniricled at base. Heads ovate-oblong, .015 long, 

 loith thickish, short peduncles, bracted by the upper leaves; spines of in- 

 volucre curved, 4-5 times as long as the scales, with two prickles on 

 either side of the lower half ; flowerets pale-purple — April and May — 

 Arabia Petrsea to Egypt, and southward. 



39. C. Postii, Boiss. If .3 to .6, tomentose-canescent ; stems 

 prostrate, densely leafy, forKed. Leaves oblong in outline, pinnati- 

 partite into small, oblong, prickly-pointed lobes. Heads ovate, .01 long, 

 at forks and terminal, sessile or short-peduncled, bracted by the upper 

 leaves ; spines of involucre broad at base, s[)readiug, the lower as long 

 as scales, the upper twice to thrice as long, all with short prickles at 



