36 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



SPECIES v.— CENT AU RE A ASPERA. Linn. 



I'LATE DCCX. 



J?eich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vul. XV. Tab. DCCXCIX. Fig. 2. 

 BlUot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 1244. 



C. Isnardi, Linn. Sm. Eiig. Bit. No. 225G. Bab. Man. Brit. Bot. ed. ii. p. 189. 

 Hook & Aj-n. Brit. Fl. ed. viii. p. 241. 



Lower leaves oblanceolate, dentate or pinnatifid, generally sub- 

 lyrate ; upper leaves strapshaped or lanceolate, dentate or nearly- 

 entire, not decurrcnt. Anthodes solitary, glabrous, with a few 

 leaves in their immediate vicinity. Pericline ovate-globular, gla- 

 brous or very slightly arachnoid ; phyllaries coriaceous, with the 

 appendages spreading, palmate, Avith 3 to 5 nearly equal spines 

 much shorter than the phyllaries. Plorcts pale-purple, the barren 

 ones of the ray uot longer than the fertile ones. Pappus about as 

 long as the achene. 



In waste places and borders of fields. Very rare. A few plants 

 occur along the side of a wall at Vazon Bay, Guernsey, 



Channel Islands. Perennial. Summer and Autumn. 



Stem ascending, 1 to 3 feet high, much branched. Leaves very 

 variable in outline, the lower ones attenuated into a petiole, which 

 is seniiamplcxicaul at the base, upper ones sessile or amplexicaul. 

 Pericline oval-globose, -| to f inch across ; phyllai'ies with the appen- 

 dages cut into divaricate reddish s])ines -}- to j incli long, which pro- 

 ject outwards. Achencs whitish. Pappus of white hairs about half 

 as long as the achene. Phmt dull-green, sparingly hairy ; the upper 

 part of the stem slightly arachnoid pubescent. 



The form with the ujiper leaves amplexicaul has been considered 

 distinct, and believed to be the C. Isnardi of Liunttus ; but he says 

 (Sp. PI. 1295) that his plant is perhaps a mere variety or hybrid 

 ofispring of C. pullata, a vspecies totally unlike C. aspera. 



Hough Star-thistle. 



Freucli, CeiUauree lludc 



Section IV.— CALCITRAPA. Koch. 



Phyllaries with adpresscd or spreading corneous appendages, 

 terminating in a stout spine, Avith smaller spines upon it at the 

 base, not decurrcnt upon the phyllaries. 



