Cnihruira. COMI'OSIT-R 421 



wliitn IxMicaUi witl\ ii rloso coal of col.loiiy wool : liciids solilmv (tif iiirc|y cluslcicd) 

 at l,lio smuinit of tho hmiiclics, at lirst iioddiii;^' (ulxmt an iiK^li liigli): Hcali^s of tlio 

 involucro iioarly glabrous (or slightly woolly when young, but wholly (Institute of 

 jointed hairs), most of them terminated by a consjiicuous and pectinately lacerate 

 ovate or lanceolate searious spreading appendage, tipped with a short ])rickle or 

 cusp : corolla une(pially cleft, the four more united lobes considerably shorter than 

 tho throat : anther-tails laciniate. — C. ncariosum, Nutt. 1. c. 



Marin and Mendocino ("ounties, Sanvtdx, Bolandr.r, Kdhgri, &c. Also in the Rocky Monn- 

 tnins of Colorado. Apparently not distinct from the ("ancasian and Siberian C cariinoides, 

 Schrank, llort. Monac. t. 11 (Kchiiiais car/inoidrs k E. mdaiis, ('ass., DC. llort, Genev. t. 22), 

 although tlie outer scales of the involucre are not spinosely fringed, nor so prickly-pointed, 

 and somntinics are not at all appendnged. If distinct, Nuttidl's name of srnriosus could be used. 

 His description seems best to accord with JIail and Harbour's No. 55!), wliich looks very mucli 

 like a hybrid between C. carlinoidcs and C. rcmolifoUux. 



C. Parryf, Gray, 1. c., of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, is anotlier species of this section 

 verging to the preceding. 



105. SILYBUM, Gicrtn. Mii.k-Tuisti.i;. 



Head many-llowercd, with Icafy-ljractcd spinoso involucro; tho lloworH all perfect 

 and fertile. Filaments smootii and raonadelphous. Pajipus of stiff and almost 

 chaffy bristles in several series, not plumose. Leaves blotched with white. Other- 

 wise as in common Thistles. 



1. S. Marianum, Goertn. A stout annual, nearly glabrous : leaves large, ob- 

 long or obovate, sinuato or pinnatitid and i)rickly-mnrgin(-d, clasping : lu^ad very 

 large, solitary : flowers i)ink-purple or red. 



San Luis Obispo, on rocky hills, and probably elsewhere : a native of the Mediterranean region, 

 introduced, probably through cultivation. 



106. CENTAUREA, Linn. Stau-Tiilstle. 

 Head many-flowered ; the flowers all with tubular and deeply 5-cleft corollas, 

 some of the marginal ones commonly neutral (and often with their corollas en- 

 larged) ; the others perfect and fertile. Involucro globular ; the scales tij)ped or 

 margined with spines or a searious appendage. Keceptaclo very bristly. Akenes 

 mostly compressed, attached by one margin just above the base. Pappus of numer- 

 ous rigid or sometimes chaffy naked bristles. — Herbs of various aspect (300 to 

 400 species), nearly all of the Old "World, whence two have reached California as 

 weeds of cultivation ; both species destitute of the " false-rays," i. e. their marginal 

 neutral flowers not enlarged and conspicuous. 



1. C. Melitensis, Linn. Annual, a foot or two high, pauiculately branched, 

 roughish-pubescent, and when young with a little deciduous wool : loaves broadly 

 linear; tho radical pinnatifid ; caulii\o barely toothed or entire, decurrent : heads 

 rather small : most of the scales of the involucro tipped with a spine which is 

 fringed at base with a few prickles : corollas yellow, not enlarged. 



Old fields and waste grounds ; common on the western borders of the State : intrcxluced from 

 Southern Europe. 



2. C. SOlstitialiS, Linn. Annual, loosely whito-woolly : caidine leaves linear : 

 heads larger than in the foregoing: outer scales of the invobicre with .3 to 5 jialrante 

 small prickles at the tip ; tho micldle ones with a long and stout spine in adtlition : 

 corollas more conspicuous, yellow. 



Fields, Oakland (Bnfrtndrr), San Diego {Pulmri), and i.i<dml>ly rlsowhcrc ncnr th.' ctHtst : a 

 weed of cultivation ; introduced from Southern Europe, 



