282 COMPOSITE. (COMPOSITE FAMILY.) 



2. A. nildicatlliS, Ell. Hairy and rather glandular (1 -3 high) 

 ieaves thickisk, 3-5-nerved, ovate or oblong, all sessile, mostly entire; those of th 

 uiked stem small and only 1 or 2 pairs ; heads several, corymbed, showy. 

 Damp pine barrens, Virginia and southward. April, May. 



65. CENT A UREA, L. STAR-THISTLE. 



Heads many-flowered ; the flowers all tubular, the marginal mostly falsely 

 radiate and larger, sterile. Receptacle bristly. Involucre imbricated, the scales 

 margined or appendaged. Achenia compressed. Pappus wanting, or of a few 

 bristles. Herbs with alternate leaves and single heads. (Named from the 

 Centaur, Chiron.) 



1. C. CYANUS, L. (BLUEBOTTLE.) Scales of the globular involucre 

 fringe-margined ; false rays large, pappus very short ; leaves linear, entire, or 

 toothed at the base. CD Road-sides, escaped from gardens. July. Flowers 

 blue, varying to purplish or white. (Adv. from Eu.) 



2. C. NIGRA, L. (KNAPWEED.) Scales of the globular involucre appen- 

 daged, and with a stiff black fringe ; rays wanting ; pappus very short ; leaves 

 lanceolate, or the lower lyrate-angled, rough. 1J. Waste places, E. New Eng- 

 land. Aug. Flowers purple. (Adv. from Eu.) 



3. C. CALcfTRAPA, L. (STAR THISTLE.) Stem diffusely much branched ; 

 leaves, pinnately lobed or spinulose-toothed ; heads sessile, the middle scales of the 

 ovoid involucre spiny ; pappus none ; flowers purple. Norfolk, Virginia. 

 (Adv. from Eu.) 



C. AMERICANA, Nutt., a showy species of the Southwestern States, the 

 only one which belongs to this country, is cultivated in gardens. 



66. CNICUS, Vaill. BLESSED THISTLE. 



Heads many-flowered ; the ray-flowers tubular and sterile, shorter than flic 

 rest, which are all tubular and perfect. Scales of the ovoid involucre coriaceous, 

 appressed, extended into a long and rigid pinnately spinose appendage. Re- 

 ceptacle clothed with capillary bristles. Achenia terete, short, strongly striate, 

 crowned with 10 short and horny teeth, and bearing a pappus of 10 elongated 

 rigid bristles, and 10 short bristles alternate with the last in an inner row. An 

 annual smoothish herb, with clasping scarcely pinnatifid-cut leaves and large 

 bractcd heads. Flowers yellow. (Name from Ki>i'<a, to prick.) 



1. C. BENEDfcTUB, L. Road-sides ; scarcely naturalized. (Adv. from En.) 



67. CIRS1TJUI, Tourn. COMMON or PLUMED THISTLE. 



Heads many-flowered ; the flowers all tubular, perfect and similar, or rarely 

 imperfectly dioecious. Scales of the ovoid or spherical involucre imbricated in 

 many rows, tipped with a point or prickle. Receptacle thickly clothed with 

 goft bristles or hairs. Achenia oblong, flattish, not ribbed. Papp is of numer- 

 ous bristles united into a ring at the base, plunrose to the middle, deciduous. 



