Carduus marianus. Milk Thistle. 



CARDUUS Linnm. Gen. PL Syngenesia Polygamia jequalis. 



Calyx ovatus, imbricatus fquamis fpinofis. Receptaculum pilofum. 



Raii Syn.Gen. 18. Herb^efloreexflosculis fistularibuscomposito, sivecapitatje. 

 CARDUUS marianus foliis amplexicaulibus haitato pinnatifidis fpinofis ; calycibus aphyllls : fpinis cana- 

 liculars duplicate fpinofis. Linn. Syjl. Fegetab.fi. 605. Sp. PL 1 153. 

 SILYBUM netvis foliorum albis. Bailer. Bifl. n. 181. 

 CIRSIUM maculatum. Scopoli FL CarnioL p. 130. 

 CARDUUS albis maculis notatus vulgaris. Bauhin. Pin. p. 28 r. 

 CARDUUS mariae. Gerard, emac, 1 1 50» 

 CARDUUS mariae vulgaris. Parkin/on. 976, 



Raii Synop. p. 195. Common Milk Thiftle, or Ladies Thiftle» 



Budfon. FL AngL ed, 2. p. %S3-~ 



Lightfoot. FL Scot. p. 454. 



RADIX annua. 



FOLIA radicalia fupra terram expanfa, pedalia, bipe- 

 dalia et ultra, pinnatifido finuata, nitida, mar- 

 gine fpinofa, fuperne venis albis reticulatis 

 picta, fubinde vero immaculata, Caulina am- 

 plexicaulia, pajrentia, fuprema recurvata, bafi 

 cauli adprefla. 



CAULIS tripedalis, ad orgyalem, ramofus, inferne 

 cramrie 'digiti intermedii, tomentofus, fulca- 

 tus, fuperne nudus, ftriatus. 



FLORES folitarii, magni, purpurei. 



CALYX : Folia quae calycem componunt varia funt, 

 inferiora nempe rotundata, fpinis ciliata ; inter- 

 media utrinque ad bafin fpinis ciliata, acumi- 

 nata, patentia, rigida, fuperne canaliculata, 

 fpina flavefcente terminata; fuperiora et interi- 

 ora lanceolata, inermia, apice purpurea, mar- 

 ginibus fiffis, jig. 1, 2, 3. 



COROLLULiE infundibuliformes, tubo tenuiffimo, 

 curvato, albo, jig. 4 ; Limbo erecto, quinque- 

 fido, bail fubglobofo, nitido, intus melleum 

 liquorem fundente, laciniis linearibus, aequa- 

 libus. 



STAMINA: Filamenta quinque, capillaria, bre- 

 viflima : Anthers purpureae, in tubum tenu- 

 iffimum coalitae, fig. 6. 



PISTILLUM : Germen ovatum, compreffum, album : 

 Stylus filiformis, ftaminibus longior, prope 

 apicem circulo villorum coronato, dein utrin- 

 que fulcato et apice bifido, jig. 7. 



SEMINA plurima, ovata, fubangulata, nitida, nigri- 

 cantia, pappo obliquo, rigidulo, limplici, al- 

 bido coronata. 



RECEPTACULUM pilofum, 



ROOT annual. 



LEAVES next the root, expanded on the ground, 

 from one to two feet or more in length, finua- 

 ted, and pinnatifid, mining, the edge fpinous, 

 on the upper fide painted with white veins, 

 which form a kind of net work, but fometimes 

 wholly green ; leaves on the jialh partly fur- 

 rounding the ftem, fpreading, the uppermoft, 

 leaves bent back, the bafe of each prefled clofe 

 to the ftalk. 



STALK from three to fix feet high, branched, at bot- 

 tom about the thicknefs of the middle finger, 

 downy, grooved, at top naked, and finely 

 channeled. 



FLOWERS one on each {talk, large, and purple. 



CALYX. The leaves which compofe the calyx are 

 various ; the lowermoft are of a roundifli 

 fhape, and edged with fpines ; the middle 

 ones edged with fpines towards the bottom, 

 and running out to a point, fpreading, rigid, 

 hollow on the upper fide, and terminating in 

 a yellowifli fpine ; the upper and innermoft 

 leaves lanceolate, without fpines, purple at top, 

 and notched on the edges, jig. 1, 2, 3. 



FLORETS funnel fhaped ; tube very {lender, bent, 

 and white, fig. 4 ; Limb erect, divided into 

 five fegments, at bottom fomewhat globular, 

 and fecreting a honey liquor withinfide, the 

 fegments linear, and equal in length. 



STAMINA: five Filaments, very fhort, and fine: 

 Anthers purple, united into a very (lender 

 tube, fig. 6. 



PISTILLUM : Germen oval, flattened, and white : 

 Style thread-lhaped, longer than the ftami- 

 na, crowned near the top with a circle of 

 fhort hairs, from thence grooved on each fide, 

 and bifid at top, fig. 7. 



SEEDS numerous, oval, fomewhat angular, mining, 

 of a blackifh colour, crowned with a ftiffifh, 

 fimple, white down, growing obliquely, 



RECEPTACLE hairy. 



THE beautiful milk white veins which form an irregular net work on the upper fide of the leaves of this 

 fpecies of I'hjjile, joined to its grandeur, render it an object which ftrikes the attention of m'oft : arid where thefe 

 veins exift, they ferve alfo very well to characterize the plant : the leaves however are frequently wholly green; 

 in which cafe, it becomes neceffary to have recourfe to fome of its other characters, than which none are more 

 conspicuous than the ilrong fpines which defend the bloffom. 



The feeds are large, and contain a portion of oil, whence they have fometimes been made ufe of in emulfions ; 

 but they more often ferve as food for the Goldfinch, and other granivorous birds. 



It is a very common plant on our banks, by the fides of roads, and among rubbiih, and flowers in May and 

 June. The variety with green leaves, I have obferved on the banks near Kennington Turnpike. 



Did it not occupy fo much fpace, its beauty would recommend it as a garden plant. 



