1048 CARDUUS. [CLASS XIX. ORDER I. 
The flowers of this species, as well as the others of this genus, are 
very Curable from the hard horny nature of the ray-like involucre ; 
they are very sensitive to the presence of moisture in the atmosphere, 
and close or expand according to its dry or humid state. On the 
Continent it is common to see fastened near the door of the cottages 
a flower of one of the species, and they judge of the likelihood of rain 
by its being closed or expanded. This, as well as the C. caulescens 
and C. acaulis, have been used in medicine, but they are now entirely 
abandoned as to any medicinal property which they may possess. 
GENUS XVIII. CARD’'UUS.—Linn. Thistle. 
Nat. Ord. Composi'tzx. Juss. 
Gen. Cuar. Involucre imbricated, tumid, the scales simple, spinous 
at the point. eceptacle paleaceous, the scales cut into bristle- 
shaped segments. Pappus feathery, united at the base into a 
ring, deciduous,—Name, according to Theis, derived from the 
Celtic word ard, a point, in allusion to the spinous involuere. 
* Leaves decurrent. 
1. C. nu'tans, Linn. (Fig. 1235.) Musk-thistle. Leaves decurrent, 
spinous, deeply sinuated; heads drooping, solitary ; scales of invo- 
lucre lanceolate, spinous, cottony, spreading. 
English Botany, t. 1112—English Flora, vol. iii. p. 385.—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 298.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 155. 
Foot tapering. Stem erect, from two to three feet high, striated 
and furrowed, more or less branched, mostly cottony. Leaves lanceo- 
late, deeply sinuated into pinnatifid lobes, the lobes sub-palmate, 
ciliated, with small spines, and terminated with a much larger stouter 
one, sessile, decurrent, forming narrow lobed spinous wings to the 
stem, more or less cottony, especially beneath along the mid-ribs and 
veins. Flowers terminal, solitary, drooping, on a round simple or 
winged pedicle, large, sub-globose, purple, handsome. Involuere 
cottony, of numerous lanceolate spinous scales, the lower ones spread- 
ing, the upper erect. florets tubular, funnel-shaped, the tube 
slender, curved, limb of five linear segments. <Anthers purple. Fruit 
ovate, compressed, pale brown, smooth, polished with dotted lines. 
Pappus of white silky rather rough rays, united into a ring at the 
base. 
Habitat—Road sides, dry hilly places, &e. 
Biennial ; flowering in July and August. 
The flowers are large and handsome, and exhale a musky odour, 
especially in the mornings and evenings in warm weather. 
2. C. acanthoi'des, Linn. (Fig. 1236.) Welted-thistle. Leaves de- 
Current, sinuated, and spinous ; heads globose, nearly sessile; scale’ 
of involucre lanceolate, acuminate, slightly recurved. 
