314 THE COMPOSITE TAMILT. 



side of the leaves, witli a white loose cotton. Leaves pinnatifid, with short, 

 wavy, very prickly lobes, and decurrent along the stem, forming waved 

 prickly wings as in the welted T. Flower-heads rather numerous, but 

 small and ovoid or oblong, generally in clusters at the top of the stem and 

 branches. Involucral bracts rather broad at the base, ending in a narrow, 

 straight or slightly spreading prickle. Florets pink or whitish. Hairs of 

 the pappus simple. 



In waste places and cultivated ground, in western and southern Europe 

 and central Asia, extending northward to Denmark, but scarcely eastward 

 of the Rhine La central Europe. Not unfrequent in England and Ireland, 

 especially near the sea, and occurs also in the lowlands of Scotland. Fl. all 

 summer. 



5. Spear Thistle. Carduus lanceolatus, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 107. Cnicu^, Brit. Fl.) 



A rather stout biennial, 3 or 4 feet high ; the stem winged and prickly. 

 Leaves waved and pinnatifid, with short but narrow lobes, the terminal 

 longer and lanceolate, all ending in a stiff prickle, rough on the upper side 

 with short almost prickly hairs, white and cottony underneath. Flower- 

 heads few, ovoid, near an inch and a half long when in flower. Involucral 

 bracts lanceolate, cottony, ending in a stiff, spreaduig prickle. Florets pm'ple. 

 Hairs of the pappus feathery. 



In fields, pastures, and waste places, very common throughout Europe 

 and Russian Asia, except the extreme north, and spread with cultivation into 

 other parts of the world. Abundant in Britain. Fl. all sttmmer. 



6. Marsh Thistle. Carduus palustris, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 974. Cnieus, Brit. Fl.) 



A stiff annual or biennial, 4 or 5 feet high, and scarcely branched; the 

 stems quite covered with the prickly decurrent margins of the leaves as in 

 the welted T. Leaves narrow, the lower ones 6 or 8 inches long, pinnati- 

 fid with numerous ovate, wavy, prickly lobes, with a few rough hau's scattered 

 on both surfaces ; the upper leaves small and very narrow. Flower-heads 

 rather numerous, small and ovoid, usually collected in clusters, forming an 

 irregular terminal corymb. Involucral bracts numerous, with very small 

 somewhat prickly points, the inner ones often colom-ed. Florets purple. 

 Hairs of the pappus feathery. 



In wet fields, and meadows, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, pene- 

 trating into the Arctic regions. Frequent in Britain. Fl. summer. 



7. Creeping Thistle. Carduus arvensis, Curt. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 975, male individual. Cnieus, Brit. Fl.) 



Rootstock perennial and creeping, with erect annual stems 3 or 4 feet 

 high. Leaves narrow, pinnatifid, and very prickly, either embracing the 

 stem with prickly auricles or shortly decurrent. Flower-heads not large, 

 forming rather loose terminal corymbs, and always dioecious ; the males 

 nearly globular, with very projecting purple florets ; the females with much 

 longer mvolucres but shorter florets, the copious feathery pappus of the 

 achenes projecting considerably as the fruit ripens : in both, the involucral 

 bracts are numerous, appressed, with very small prickly points. 



In cultivated and waste places, the commonest of European and Asiatic 

 Thistles, accompanying cultivation to all parts of the world; exteiiding far to 

 the north, though perhaps not quite to the Arctic Circle. Abundant in 



