276 COMPOSITE 



of animals, so that they are conveyed to a distance. — Fl. July, 

 August. Biennial. 



2. A. nemorbsum (Wood Burdock). — A smaller species ; leaves 

 coarsely crenate ; petioles hollow ; heads smaller, sub-sessile, ovate, 

 in a raceme, usually 3 together on a branch ; heads webbed.— 

 Local. — Fl. July, August. Biennial. 



3. A. minus (Lesser Burdock). — -A still smaller form, with 

 coarsely-toothed, radical leaves; hollow petioles; and shortly- 

 stalked, globular heads, not exceeding f in. across, sub-racemose ; 

 involucre green, slightly webbed. — Waste places ; the commonest 

 form. — Fl. July, August. Biennial. 



4. A. pubens (Intermediate Burdock). — A form of intermediate 

 size, about 3 feet high, with crenate radical leaves, a slender tube 

 in the petioles, and slightly-stalked, sub-racemose, hemispherical 

 heads, twice as large as those of A. minus, with purplish and 

 usually much webbed involucres.^- Waste places ; not uncommon. 

 — Fl. July, August. Biennial. 



29. Carduus (Thistle). — Erect herbs ; leaves spinous-toothed, 

 decurrent, forming very spinous wings to the stem ; involucre 

 globose, of many, imbricate, spinous bracts ; receptacle deeply 

 pitted, scaly ; florets all tubular ; filaments free, hairy ; fruit com- 

 pressed ; pappus in many rows of long, equal, shining, white 

 hairs. (Name, the Latin name of the group.) 



1. C. pycnocephalus (Slender-flowered Thistle). — Stems 2 — 4 

 feet high, slightly-branched,, hoary, with broad, continuous, 

 deeply-lobed, spinous wings ; leaves cottony beneath ; heads many, 

 clustered, cylindrical, small ; bracts glabrous, subulate, very long, 

 erect ; florets pink. Sandy waste places, especially near the sea ; 

 frequent. — Fl. June — August. Biennial. 



2. C. nutans (Musk Thistle). — A very handsome plant, about 

 2 feet high, with a furrowed, cottony stem, interruptedly winged ; 

 leaves deeply-lobed, spinous, woolly on the veins beneath ; heads 

 large, solitary, drooping ; bracts lanceolate, spinous-pointed, 

 cottony, the outer ones refiexed ; florets crimson. — Waste places, 

 especially on chalk downs ; frequent. The flowers have a power- 

 ful musky odour. Fl. May — October. Biennial. 



3. C. crispus (Welted Thistle). — -A branched, very spinous 

 plant, 3 — 4 feet high ; stem continuously winged ; heads small, 

 erect, clustered, roundish ; bracts linear, erect, or spreading, 

 webbed, slender; florets deep purple, or sometimes white. — Fl. 

 June — August. Annual or Biennial. 



4. C. lanceoldtus (Spear Plume-Thistle). — Stem 2—5 feet high, 

 winged by the decurrent spinous leaves ; leaves pinnatifid, with 



