Centawea.] xxxix. COMPOSITAe. 355 



* S. Marianus, Gaertn., Fruct. ii. 378, t. 168. Erect. Stems 2ft.-4ft. high, 

 furrowed, glabrous. Leaves with milk-white veins. 



Naturalised in many parts of the North Island ; less frequent in the South. Milk thistle. 

 Jan. to March. Europe. 



The only species. 



• CENTAUREA, Linn. 



Involucre ovoid. Eeceptacle nearly flat, bristly. Involucral bracts appressed, 

 imbricate, entire or spinous, margined or toothed. Florets all tubular ; the outer 

 usually larger ; if radiating, neuter. Disk-florets hermaphrodite, slender ; limb 

 5-lobed. Anthers with a long terminal coriaceous appendage. Achenes obovoid or 

 oblong, compressed. Pappus-hairs in 2 or several series, usually scabrid or short 

 or 0. Annual or perennial herbs, with branched or simple stems and entire divided 

 rarely spinous leaves. 



Involucral bracts with a black pectinate fringe . . . . . . . . * C. nigra. 



Involucral bracts terminating in a long straight spine. Pappus . . . . * C. Calcitrapa. 



Involucral bracts terminating in a slender spine. Pappus white, soft. Annual . . * C. solstitialis. 



* C. nigra, L., Sp. PI. 911. Perennial. Stems 1ft. -3ft. high. Leaves lanceo- 

 late, entire or lobed, hispidulous. Heads globose, lin.-ljin. in diameter ; peduncles 

 leafy ; involucral bracts with a pectinate fringe. Achenes compressed, grey. Pappus 

 reduced to scales or 0. 



NORTH Island: sparingly naturalised in various localities. SOUTH Island : less frequent. 

 Knapweed. Feb., March. Europe. 



* C. Calcitrapa, L., Sp. PI. 917. Biennial, much branched, lft.-2ft. high. 

 Branches rigid, spreading, glabrate or cottony. Eadical leaves 3in.-iin. long, deeply 

 pinnatifid; segments lanceolate, toothed, of the cauline leaves narrow-linear, aristate. 

 Heads ovoid, solitary, lateral, sessile or on short leafy peduncles, ^-in. in diameter ; 

 outer bracts terminating in a stout subulate channelled spine, with 1-3 short lateral 

 basal spines on each side; inner with a scarious obtuse appendage. Achenes com- 

 pressed. Pappus 0. 



NOBTH and SOUTH Islands : more or less naturalised in all districts. Star thistle. Dec. 

 to Feb. Europe. 



* C. solstitialis, L., Sp. PI. 917. Annual, lft.-2ft. high, erect. Stems slender 

 but rigid, branched, leafy, cottony or hoary. Eadical leaves lyrate-pinnatifid ; 

 segments rounded at the tips; upper entire, decurrent. Heads usually terminal, 

 globose, cottony, woolly, Jin. in diameter;, involucral bracts palmately spinous, 

 the central spines very long, needle-shaped, not channelled, inner with an obtuse 

 scarious appendage. Plorets yellow. Achene white. Pappus as long as the achene. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands : sparingly naturalised in all the districts. Yellow star thistle. 

 Feb. to April. Europe. 



* CICHORIUM, Tourn. 



Involucre cyUndric ; bracts in 2 series, herbaceous, outer about 5, short, 

 appressed, inner 8-10, longer, erect, connate at the base. Eeceptacle rather flat, 

 naked, setose or pilose. Florets numerous, all ligulate. Achenes crowded on the 

 indurated receptacle, glabrous, obovoid or turbinate. Pappus of minute chaffy erect 

 scales, 2-seriate. Branching perennial deep-rooted herbs, with milky juice and 

 axillary crowded sessile or pedunculate heads. 



* C. Intybus, L., Sp. PI. 813. Erect, 9in.-18in. high. Branches straight, 

 rigid, mostly at right angles to the stem. Lpwer leaves 3in.-10in. long, runcinate, 



