SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA JEQ. Carlina. 233 



wing-cleft, very thorny. Cal. -scales narrow, smooth, rather 

 blunt. Fl. erect, deep crimson. Plant nearly stemless. 

 The leaves spread, and exclude other plants from gl-o^\'ing 

 beneath them. The different Cnici and Cardui afford nourish- 

 ment to the larvas of several insects. When cultivated, and 

 without cultivation, Cn. acaulis acquires a stem. 



ONOPORDUM. Cotton-thistle. 



O. Jlcanthium. Common C. T. Calyic-scales awl- 

 shaped, spreading in every direction. Leaves egg- 

 oblong, sinuated, woolly on both sides. E. B. 977- 

 C. 5. 57, Acanthium album. G. E. 1149. 



Waste ground, hedge hanks, road sides. 



Bien. July. 



Hoary green, five f. high, clothed with a white, cottony web. 

 Stem winged up to the calyx. Ls. completely running down 

 the stem, edged with large, unequal thorns. Fl. terminal, 

 solitary, purple. Cal. thorns in the lower part bent back. Cal. 

 globose. Lower Is. with deep, triangular teeth, which are again 

 toothed, each tooth terminated by a sharp, whitish thorn. Upper 

 Is. spear-shaped, with a few distant teeth. 

 The receptacle, and young stems may be boiled, and eaten. 



The ancients supposed this plant a specific in cancer. Fl. Suec. 



The seeds a favourite food of small birds, particularly gold-finches. 



Heads of this, and Card, marianus, used by bird-catchers as a 



decoy to small birds. 



CAKLrNA. Carline-thistle. 



C. vulgaris. Common C. T. Stem corymbose, many- 

 flowered. Flowers terminal. Outer calyx-scales wing- 

 cleft ; inner whitish. E. B. 1144. C. sylvestris 

 major. G. E. 1159. 



Dry, sandy, heathy pastures, fields. 



Bien. July. 



Stem one f., stiff. Fl. erect. Cal.-scales, inner, long, linear, 

 smooth, radiating, yellowish white, everlasting, like the rays of 

 flowers in Polygam. Superf. Anth. with two bristles at the 

 base. Ls. alternate, sinuated, very thorny, veiny ; two yellow 

 spines to each small tooth. Florets central, tubular, purplish. 

 The dry plant will remain standing a year and more, battered 



and bleached, a miserably looking skeleton. Linn. Fl. Suec. 



Presence of this plant indicates a very barren soil. Said to be 



useful in hysteria. Amcen. Acad. 



Named after the Emperor Charlemagne, because reported that 



a Carlina was pointed out to him by an angel, to cure his 



