312 FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 
E. Ritro has similar blue flower- globes, but its leaves are not spiny; 
height 3 feet; native of Mediterranean region, introduced 1570. 
E. spherocephalus has greyish lilac heads; 2 to 4 feet high; introduced 
from South Europe (1596). All these species are hardy perennials and 
summer-bloomers. They are usually propagated by division of the roots. 
_ If dried with care the flower-heads retain their forms and colour, so that 
they may be used for decorative purposes. 
CarTHamus (Arabic, gortom, to paint). Flower-heads surrounded by 
an involucre of leafy bracts in several series, of which the outermost are 
broad and spreading with spiny edges, the inner ones becoming narrower, 
but all terminating in a spiny point. The florets are perfect, and exceed 
the involuere in length. Oarthamus tinctorius, the Safflower or Dyer’s 
Thistle, has stiff whitish stems, 2 to 3 feet high, with oval spiny leaves 
and orange flower-heads ; June. Introduced from Egypt as far back as 
1551. Cultivated extensively throughout Asia and Southern Europe as 
a dye-stuff. Seed should be sown in gentle heat in March, and the seed- 
lings transplanted when large enough. 
CATANANCHE (from Greek, katanagkaso, to compel; the plant being 
anciently used in love-philtres), Catananche coerulea is a free-growing 
perennial,3 feet high, introduced from the Mediterranean region about 1596. 
It has solitary flower-heads on long stalks, and all the florets are strap- 
shaped, blue ; August. A form with blue-and-white flower-heads is known 
in gardens as 0. bicolor, but it is a mere colour variety of C. caerulea. 
Another species, ( lutea, introduced 1640, is an annual with yellow 
flowers. It is only about a foot high, and flowers in June. They are 
both of easy growth and not exacting in respect to soil. Seed should be 
sown in March or April, and the seedlings pricked out as soon as large 
enough. 
Totpis. A genus of South European annuals, somewhat resembling 
our native Hawkweeds, Tolpis barbata is a yellow-flowered, purple- 
eyed plant, known in our gardens since 1620. It has erect, branching 
stems, about 2 feet high, and lance-shaped, toothed leaves. The base of 
the involuere and upper part of the flower-stalk are clothed with awl- 
shaped bracts. Flowers June and July. 7 wmbellata has similar 
T: virgata is taller with heads entirely yellow. Their place in the 
garden is in the border, The seed should be sown in spring where the 
plants are to flower, and the seedlings thinned out. 
