COMPOSTTiE. 315 



Britain. Fl. summer. A curious variety, with the leaves almost entire, not 

 decurrent, and scarcely prickly (6'. setosus),^ot uncommon in south-eastern 

 Europe and western Asia, has been found in the county of Fife, in Scotland. 



8. ^Woolly Thistle. Carduus eriophorus, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 386. Cnicus, Brit. Fl.) 



The stoutest of all our indigenous Thistles, and much branched, but not 

 so tall as some others. Leaves not decurrent, green and hairy above, white 

 and cottony underneath, deeply pinnate, with narrow lobes ending in very 

 sharp stout prickles. Flower-heads large and globular, clustered 2 or 3 

 together at the summits of the branches. Involucres covered with a cot- 

 tony wool, tlie numerous bracts ending in a naiTow prickly point. 



In waste places, in central and soutlieru Europe to the Caucasus, but not 

 extending iiito northern Germany. In Britain, probably confined to tlie 

 Umsstone districts of southern England. Fl. summer. 



9. BSelancholy Thistle. Carduus heterophyllus, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 675. Ctiieus, Brit. Fl.) 

 This species is not prickly like otlier Thistles, but resembles them in other 

 respects. Rootstock perennial and creeping, tlie stems taU, stout, deeply 

 furrowed, with a httle loose cottony wool. Leaves clasping the stem, witli 

 scarcely decurrent auricles, lanceolate, glabrous and green above, veiy white 

 and cottony underneath, bordered with very small, bristly but scarcely 

 prickly teeth, and sometimes slightly lobed. Flower-heads about the size 

 of those of the .spear T., growing singly on long peduncles. Involucral 

 bracts glabrous, lanceolate, obtuse, or with a very minute not prickly point. 



In mountain pastures, in northern Europe and Asia, and in the great 

 central ranges of both continents. Frequent in Scotland, extending into 

 northern England, and North Wales. Fl. summer. 



10. Tuberous Thistle. Carduus tuberosus, Linn. 

 {Cnicus, Eng. Bot. t. 2563.) 



Rootstock woody, usually shortly creeping, emitting occasionally a few 

 thick, ahnost woody, tuberous roots, and erect or ascending stems, but little 

 divided, or sometimes simple, about 2 feet high. Radical leaves pinnati- 

 fid, the lobes waved and prickly, slightly hairy above, with more or less of 

 a loose cottony wool underneath ; tlie stem-leaves few, less divided, sessile 

 or sometimes vei'y shortly decm'rent. Flower-heads not very large, ovoi;i, 

 growing singly on long terminal peduncles. Involucral bracts lanceolate, 

 not prickly, with more or less of cottory wool. 



In moist, rich meadows, and marshy, open woods, in western and south- 

 central Europe, extending eastwards to Transylvania. In Britain, only m 

 Wiltshire, near Heytesbui-y. FL summer. 



11. TiSeadow Thistle. Carduus pratensis, Huds. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 177. Cnicus, Brit. Fl.) 

 Probably a mere variety of the tuberous T. The roots are less tuberous. 

 Stems 1 to 2 feet high, usually simple, with a single ovoid flower-head, or 

 occasionally divided into 2 or 3 long one-headed branches. Leaves more 

 cottony than in the tuherous T. and much less divided, the radical ones 

 usually sinuate or shortly pinnatifid, the stem-leaves lanceolate, bordered only 

 with short, sUghtly prickly teeth. 



