‘WILD FLOWERS BLUE AND PURPLE 
is felted with whitish, cobwebby hairs. The leaves 
clasp the stalk alternately and hug it closely for a dis- 
tance, then spring away with an upward flare. The 
lobes are curling, and the texture is tough. The beau- 
tiful flowering heads are usually solitary, and are borne 
on the ends of the branches. Numerous small, 
sweetly scented, tubular, purple florets are gathered 
into a large, soft, spreading and rounding head above 
the green, egg-shaped cup. The latter is covered with 
many long, sharp, white, spreading prickles. The 
flowers are succeeded by a fluffy, silky plume. This 
Thistle is found in fields and along roadsides from 
July to November, from Newfoundland to Georgia, 
west to Minnesota, Nebraska and Missouri. Also in 
Europe and Asia. 
PASTURE THISTLE. FRAGRANT THISTLE 
Cirsium pumilum. Thistle Family. 
This is the largest-flowered Thistle we have. Com- 
pared with the Common Thistle, it grows less tall, is 
more fragrant, is not so leafy, the more numerous 
spires are shorter, and its range is more restricted. 
The leaves are narrowed and do not adhere so closely 
to the stouter and less branching stalk. The latter 
is more or less hairy, and grows from one to three feet 
high from thick, branched, solid roots. The stem 
leaves are green on both sides. They are long, lance- 
shaped in outline, and clasp the stalk alternatingly. 
They are cut into short, triangular, very prickery, 
margined lobes, that are more or less fluted. The 
387 
