SoNCHus. COMPOSITE. 421 



2. SoNCHUs ASPER, VUl. Spiny-kuved Sow-thistle. 



Annual, smooth, or somewhat glandular-hairy at the summit ; stem-leaves undivided, undu- 

 late or slightly uncinate, conspicuously spinulose-toothed, cordate-clasping, with the auricles 

 usually rounded , the lower oval or spatulate, with a slender tapering base ; heads umbellate- 

 corymbose, the peduncles and involucre smooth or a little hairy ; achenia margined, 3-nerved 

 on each side, smooth, or the margins minutely rough. — Fl. Dan. t. 893 ; Torr. ^ Gr.fi. N. 

 Am. 2. p. 501. S. oleraceus, var. asper, Linn. ; Bower in Engl. hot. suppl. 2765 ^ 2766. 

 S. oleraceus, var. spinuloses, Oakes, cat.pl. Vermont. S. spinosus. Lam. S. fallax, Wall.; 

 DC. prodr. 7. p. 185. S. Carolinianus, Walt. fl. Car. p. 192 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 255 ; DC. 

 I. c. S. spinulosus, Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 290 ; Beck, hot. p. 171 ; Darlingt. fl,. Cest. p. 445 ; 

 DC. I. c. 



Stem about two feet high. Leaves 3-8 inches long ; the cauline dilated at the base and 

 conspicuously clasping, with numerous spreading prickly teeth on the margin. Heads in a 

 rather loose umbel or corymb, rather smaller than in the preceding species ; the peduncles 

 often with a few glandular hairs. Achenia nearly smooth, or only slightly roughened. 



Waste places and cultivated grounds ; less common than the preceding species, of which 

 many botanists consider it a variety, and into which it seems occasionally to pass. Introduced 

 from Europe. August - September. 



3. SoNCHUs ARVENSis, Linn. Large-Jhwered Sow-thistle. 



Root perennial, creeping ; stem smooth ; leaves runcinate-pinnatifid, spinulose-toothed, 

 cordate-clasping at the base, the auricles short and obtuse ; panicle umbellate-corymbose, 

 the peduncles and involucre glandular-hispid ; achenia somewhat 4-sided, strongly ribbed, 

 transversely rugulose. — Engl. hot. t. 674 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 505 ; Beck, hot. p. 171 ; Hook, 

 fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 292 ; Torr. ^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 2. p. 501, 



Stem about 2 feet high, rather stout, branching. Lower and radical leaves 8-10 inches 

 long, tapering at the bass ; the cauline strongly runcinate. Heads as large as in the Dande- 

 lion, in a loose corymbose panicle. Flowers pale yellow. Receptacle hairy ? 



Shores of Staten Island, not far from the Quarantine, Introduced from Europe. August - 

 September. 



