396 SYNGENESIA— POLYGAMIA-^QU. Carlina. 



Root tap-shaped. Whole herb covered with white cottony pu- 

 bescence, which is easily rubbed off, and according to Gerarde 

 is used by the poor to stuff pillows or cushions ; as well as to 

 mix with feathers, for the same purpose,by deceitful upholsterers. 

 But it seems very inadequate in quantity, as well as quality, 

 having no elasticity, and shrinking to nothing under the touch. 

 The stem is 4 or 5 feet high, branched, and when in a growing 



. state, may be peeled and boiled for the table ; but it has little 

 flavour except some bitterness, which it loses by being steeped 

 in cold water. Leaves oblong, spreading, lobed, notched and 

 spinous, running down into the numerous prickly wings of the 

 stem ; radical ones very large. Fl. solitary at the ends of the 

 branches, large, of a blueish rose-colour, the calyx cottony, very 

 prickly. 



The large brown seeds are eaten by goldfinches ; and the bird- 

 catchers about London provide themselves with heads of this 

 Thistle and the Carduus viarianus, to entrap these and other 

 birds, in bright autumnal mornings. 



387. CARLINA. Carline-thistle. 



Linn.GenAlQ. Juss.\72. Fl.Br.BoT. Tourn.t.28o. Lam. t. 662. 

 GcBrtn. ^.163. 



Common Cal. cylindrical, somewhat tumid, radiated, imbri- 

 cated, of numerous, lax, acute, permanent scales; the 

 innermost much the longest, coloured, polished, linear, 

 spreading horizontally in a circle, forming a set of rays 

 to the flat disk of the flower. Cor. compound, uniform, 

 flat ; Jlorets numerous, tubular, equal, all on a level, fun- 

 nel-shaped, perfect ; limb in 5 deep, upright segments. 

 Filam. capillary, very short. Atith. in a cylindrical tube, 

 easily separating, each with 2 deflexed bristles at the 

 base. Germ, obovate. Style thread-shaped, scarcely ex- 

 tending beyond the anthers. Stigma oblong, either di- 

 vided or entire. Seed-vessel none but the unaltered calyx. 

 Seed conical, roughish, abrupt. Down partly chaffy and 

 jagged, partly feathery, permanent. Recept. f^at, beset 

 with linear chaffy scales, many- cleft at the top, and some 

 bristles. 



Very prickly herbs, of a dry and rigid habit. Fl. handsome; 

 the red, yellow, or white, radiating, everlasting, internal 

 scales of their calyx, imitating the ligulate^o;r^5 of the 

 discoid tribe of Composites, afford good specific charac- 

 ters, even in their colours. 



