^554 1. ASTERQCEPHALUS CANESCENS. [CL I\ 



CLASS IV 



A sterocephaliis caiiesceiis. 



Graue Scabiose. Aj)oslemkraiit. — FivncI), Scahleuse grise- 

 atrc. — Engl. Gni/'isli. Scabious. — Sued. Gru vddd. 



This remarkable species was confounded with Ast. Coliim- 

 haria^ till Kitaibel first taught us to distinguish them ; {Plant. 

 Hungar. 1. p. 53. t. 53.) 



The brown perennial root creeps almost horizontal, and 

 pushes out first oblong leaves, tapering at both ends, quite 

 entire, rarely having two teeth, set with indistinguishable 

 hairs on both sides, ciliated on the margin: the leaves are 

 nearly an inch long, four lines broad, with a strong nerve in 

 the middle, and some lateral veins. 



By the side of this first shoot, and often at a later pe- 

 riod quite separated from it, there springs up a simple stem, 

 about a foot long, round, thickly beset with greyish reflex 

 hairs : below, this stem is set with half pinnated, cihated 

 leaves, having indistinguishable hairs, the tufts of which are 

 lanceolate, linear-shaped, and stiff at the point. The upper 

 leaves become always finer, stand at wider distances, lose the 

 pinnated shape, and, at last, become entirely simple. The 

 joints of the stem have the same greyish colour. 



On the tip of the stem stands the compound flower, of a la- 

 vender blue colour, and having a fine smell, almost like that 

 of Orchis nigra. The common calyx consists of about 

 twelve very small uniform obtuse leaves, which are much 

 shorter than the ray. The flowers are five-lobcd, dissimilar, 

 radiated on the margin, externally set with fine white hairs. 

 The receptacle contains chaffy leaves, which upwards be- 

 come broader, and are thickly set with white hairs. Between 



