WILD FLOWERS blue and purple 



is felted with whitish, cobwebby hairs. The leaves 

 clasp the stalk alternately and hug it closely for a dis- 

 tance, then spring away with an upward flare. The 

 lobes are curling, and the texture is tough. The beau- 

 tiful flowering heads are usually solitary, and are borne 

 on the ends of the branches. Numerous small, 

 sweetly scented, tubular, purple florets are gathered 

 into a large, soft, spreading and rounding head above 

 the green, egg-shaped cup. The latter is covered with 

 many long, sharp, white, spreading prickles. The 

 flowers are succeeded by a fluffy, silky plume. This 

 Thistle is found in fields and along roadsides from 

 July to November, from Newfoundland to Georgia, 

 west to Minnesota, Nebraska and Missouri. Also in 

 Europe and Asia. 



PASTURE THISTLE. FRAGRANT THISTLE 



Ctrsium pumilum. Thistle Family. 



This is the largest-flowered Thistle we have. Com- 

 pared with the Common Thistle, it grows less tall, is 

 more fragrant, is not so leafy, the more numerous 

 spires are shorter, and its range is more restricted. 

 The leaves are narrowed and do not adhere so closely 

 to the stouter and less branching stalk. The latter 

 is more or less hairy, and grows from one to three feet 

 high from thick, branched, solid roots. The stem 

 leaves are green on both sides. They are long, lance- 

 shaped in outline, and clasp the stalk alternatingly. 

 They are cut into short, triangular, very prickery, 

 margined lobes, that are more or less fluted. The 



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