152 WILD FLOWERS. 



holy herb, now shows its small lilac flowers 

 near houses ; and the tall yarrow, {AchillcEa 

 millefoUuni) is to be found in every meadow. 

 This was formerly called nose bleed, but is 

 now better known by the name of old man's 

 pepper. Its leaves are very pungent. 



The Highlanders make of it an ointment, 

 and it was used for this purpose by the ancient 

 Greeks, who told that Achilles discovered and 

 applied its virtues. 



Then the tall brown knapweeds and the 

 handsome mullein are showy flowers now. 

 The former are often called iron weeds, from 

 the hard brown ball or cup, on which the pur- 

 })le florets are set. The flower of the knap- 

 weeds is much like that of the thistle, but it 

 may filways be known from a thistle, by its 

 having no spines nor prickles upon it ; except 

 in one species, the common star thistle, which 

 is indeed veiy nearly allied to the former tribe. 

 The common black knapweed {Centaurea nigra) 

 is a very frequent weed in meadows, and it is 

 refused by cattle, both \^hile it is growing, and 

 when made up into hay. This plant stains 

 linen of a bright blue colour, and its juice is 

 expressed for ink. The common star thistle, 

 {Centaurea calcitrapa,) or Jersey thistle, as it is 

 often called, is found near the sea, aiul also on 

 chalky or gravelly banks. It is singular from 

 having on its calyx a number of large green 

 spines, which, as the plant grows older, turn 

 into hard Avood. Hence tliis flower received 

 its Ijatln name from the caltrops, or iron ball 



