1046 ONOPORDUM. | CLASS XIX. ORDER J. 
GENUS XVI. ONOPOR’DUM.—Liyn Cottan-thistle. 
Nat. Ord. Composi'rm. Juss. 
Gen. Cuan. Jnvolucrum tumid, imbricated, the scales spreading, 
and spinous. Receptacle excavated, like honey-comb. J’ruit 
compressed, four angled, and transversely furrowed. Pappus 
hairy, rough, united into a ring at the base, deciduous. 
1. O. Acan'thium, Linn. (Fig. 1233.) Common Cotton-thistle. 
Scales of involucre spreading, awl-shaped; leaves elliptic-oblong, 
sinuated, spinous, and decurrent, woolly on both sides. 
English Botany, t. 977.—English Flora, vol. iii. p. 396.—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 299.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 152. 
Root tapering, the whole plant covered with a white cottony 
pubescence, like a fine cobweb, especiallyfon the under sides of the 
leaves and stem. Stem erect, from four to five feet high, branched, 
striated, angular, and winged. Leaves elliptic-oblong, lobed, sinuated, 
and spinous, the spines hard, rigid, pungent, all decurrent, forming 
the wings of the stem, the lower leaves very large, spreading. Inflo- 
rescence paniculate, the peduncles winged. lowers large, a deep 
purplish rose colour. florets tubular, the mouth cut into five narrow 
segments. IJnvolucre globose, its scales awl-shaped, pungent, spread- 
ing, cottony. J ruit obovate, smooth, brown. Pappus dirty white, 
of numerous rough bristly rays, united into a ring at the base, sessile, 
deciduous. 
Habitat.—Road sides, waste places, &c., especially in a gravelly 
soil; not unfrequent. 
Biennial; flowering in August. 
This is often called the wild Artichoke, or Al-cachofa, of the 
Spaniards, from its fleshy receptacle being like the Artichoke eseulent, 
and its young growing branches, when stripped of peel, were formerly 
boiled and brought to table; but it is rather bitter, and as a vegetable 
is not now cultivated. The expressed juice of the stems and leaves 
is said by Eller to be an useful application to cancers and indolent 
ulcers, and its astringent roots have been used to stop discharges 
from ‘the mucous membrane. The seeds of this species are large, 
and are, as are also some others of the thistle tribe, a favourite food 
of goldfinches and other small birds. They are very oleiferous, and 
M. Durand says that twenty-two pounds of the heads yield twelve 
pounds of seeds, from which by the aid of heat may be expressed 
about three pounds of oil fit for burning. It is this plant which is 
generally considered the true Scotch thistle— 
“ Proud thistle ! emblem dear to Scotland’s sons, 
Begirt with threatening points, strong in defence, 
Unwilling to assault.” 
{t is the national badge of Scotland, and has given its title to an order 
