CLASS XIX. ORDER III. | CENTAUREA. 1101 
roughish, especially on the edges, all pinnatifid or bi-pinnatifid, the 
segments lanceolate, or ovate, the apex with a small callous tip, and 
entire, or toothed. lowers solitary, terminal, large, handsome, 
purple. Jnvolucre sub-globose, downy, the scales imbricated, green , 
and ovate at the base, with a black triangular sub-membranous point. 
fringed on the margin with deep siender hairs. /lorets numerous, 
those of the ray long, slender, tubular, with a large spreading five-cleft 
limb, those of the disk much shorter, and mostly darker purple. 
Receptacle flat, its scales cut into very numerous bristle-shaped seg- 
ments, white, shining. Fruié oblong, compressed, a greyish brown. 
with a deep cavity on one side at the base, crowned with a pappus of 
dark brown rough unequal hairs. 
Habitat.—Borders of corn fields, road sides, &c. ; frequent. 
Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 
The involucre scales, after the fruit has escaped, become reflexed, 
and as they are white and shining, they give the heads a singular 
silvery appearance. 
4. S. Cya'nus, Linn. (Fig. 1315.) Corn Blue-botile. Seales of 
involucre ovate, downy, the margin serrato-ciliated; leaves linear 
lanceolate, entire, the lower ones toothed, and the radical ones 
oboyate lanceolate, often trifid. 
English Botany, t. 277.—English Flora, vol. iii. p. 467—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 310.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 155. 
fioot tapering, and fibrous, the whole plant clothed with a loose 
cottony pubescence. Stem erect, from one to three feet high, 
angular, striated, branched. Leaves numerous, linear lanceolate, 
entire, or somewhat toothed, the lower ones often pinnatifid, and the 
radical ones obovate lanceolate, frequently three-cleft. lowers nu- 
merous, solitary, terminal. Jnvolucre roundish ovate, downy, its 
scales ovate, pale green, with a dark brown or pale toothed or ciliated 
membranous margin. Florets of the ray not very numerous, tubular, 
the limb much dilated, cleft, spreading, those of the disk dark purple, 
short, tubular, five-cleft, scarcely opened, Receptacle flat, its scales 
cut into numerous bristle-like segments. Fruit oblong, crowned with 
white rough unequal bristly hairs. 
Habitat.—Corn fields; frequent. 
Annual; flowering from July to August. 
This pretty ornamental species is not uncommonly cultivated on 
the garden border, when the flowers become much_larger, and are of 
various colours; few plants in the wild state appear more beautiful 
than it does amongst the ripening corn. Its deep blue flowers are said 
to afford, simply by pressing out the juice and mixing with it a little 
alum, a beautiful fixed colour. 
x Involuere scales with a spinous margin. 
5. S. Isnar'di, Linn. (Fig. 1816.) Jersey Star-thisile. Scales of 
