COMPOSITE 179 



Damp mountain woods and pastures in the Alps and sub-Alps, 

 and occasionally lower. July, August. 



Distribution. — Central Europe, Switzerland, Jura, Vosges, Au- 

 vergne, Dauphiny, Savoy, Maritime Alps. 



Carduus defloratus L. 



Perhaps the commonest Thistle in Alpine districts. Stem 12-18 

 inches high, pubescent and naked for a long distance above, and 

 bearing a single terminal capitulum. Leaves glabrous, glaucous 

 below, lanceolate-acute, pinnatifid and deeply lobed, the segments 

 being distant, ciliate-spinous. Wing of leaves broad at base, and 

 these suddenly narrowed. Involucral bracts ovate, tip of inner- 

 most bracts thin, not spiny. Fruit 3 times as long as broad. 

 Capitulum solitary and very longly peduncled. Flowers purple. 



Alpine and sub-alpine meadows and pastures (up to 8700 feet 

 on the Col du Galibier), and in clearings of woods. July to Sep- 

 tember. 



Distribution. — Eastern, Central, and Western Alps, Jura, Pyrenees. 



Carlina L. Carline Thistle. 



Very prickly and mostly low herbs. Outer involucral bracts very 

 prickly, inner ones shining or coloured, long and spreading like 

 the rays of a star. Chaffy scales between the florets. Achenes silky, 

 with a feathery pappus. 



A small European and Asiatic genus, chiefly distinguished by 

 the involucral bracts. 



Carlina vulgaris L. 



An erect biennial, 6-12 inches high. Leaves toothed or pinnatifid, 

 very prickly ; the lower ones narrow and slightly cottony, the 

 upper ones broader and nearly glabrous. Flower-heads hemispheri- 

 cal, i-i^ inches wide, 2-4 in a terminal corymb. Outer involucral 

 bracts broadly lanceolate, with small prickly teeth or lobes ; inner 

 ones linear, entire, smooth and shining, with spreading tips. 



Dry, hilly pastures and waste places. July, August. 



Distribution. — Europe and Russian Asia ; British Isles. 

 Carlina acaulis L. 



Biermial. Stem simple, very short or wanting, or occasionally 

 6 inches high, in which case it is leafy, bearing a single terminal 

 head. Root-leaves shortly petioled, lanceolate, pinnatifid, glabrous 

 and very spiny, and forming a large rosette. Capitulum large 

 and handsome, sometimes 3 or 4 inches in diameter when expanded. 

 Inner involucral bracts linear and of a beautiful silver white, 

 brownish at the base. 



Dry Alpine and sub-alpine pastures (often abundant), up to 

 8200 feet. July, August. 



