254. | THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 
star. Receptacle bearing irregularly cut, chaffy scales between. the 
florets. Achenes silky-hairy, with a feathery pappus. 
A small European and Asiatic genus, easily distin by the in- 
volucral bracts. 
1. C. vulgaris, Linn. (fig. 571). Common C.—An erect biennial, 
seldom above 6 or 8 inches high. Leaves not decurrent, toothed, or 
pinnatifid, and very prickly ; the lower ones narrow, slightly covered 
with loose cottony wool; the upper ones broader and nearly glabrous. 
Flower-heads hemispherical, about an inch in diameter, usually 3 or 4 
inasmali terminal corymb. Outer involucral bracts broadly lanceolate, 
bordered with very prickly teeth or lobes; inner ones linear, entire, 
with very smooth and shining, horizontally-spreading tips. ; 
In dry, hilly pastures, and fields, throughout Europe and Russian 
Asia, except the extreme north. Rather common in England and 
Ireland, extending into a few Scottish counties. Fl. summer and 
autumn. 
XXVIII. CENTAUREA. CENTAUREA. © 
Herbs, with entire or pinnatifid leaves, seldom prickly, and purple, 
blue, or sometimes yellow flowers. Involucres globular or ovoid, the 
bracts numerous, ending either in a”prickle or in a fringed or toothed 
appendage. Outer row of florets usually larger than the others, and 
neuter. Receptacle bearing bristles between the florets. Achenes 
glabrous, with a short pappus of simple hairs or scales, sometimes very 
short, or rarely quite wanting. 
One of the most numerous genera of Cynaroidew in the Mediterranean 
and Caucasian regions, with a very few American species. The en- 
larged outer florets, the most prominent character of the genus, are 
seldom deficient, and that chiefly in a common variety of nigra. In 
that case the fringed involucral bracts as readily indicate the genus. 
aaerss not prickly, or with very small prickly points to the 
racts. 
Involucral bracts with a broad, black, or brown fringed border 
or appendage. 
Leaves mostly entire or toothed. Appendages almost conceal- 
ing the bracts themselves ; 1. C. nigra. 
Leaves deeply pinnatifid. Involucral bracts ‘showing ‘their 
green centres with a black fringed border . 2. C. Scabiose. : 
Involucral bracts ending in, or bordered by, minute teeth or F 
prickles. 
Outer florets bright blue. An erect cornfield annual 8 
Florets purple. A spreading Jersey perennial . 4 
Involucral bracts ending in a long, stout pr ickle. 
Florets purple . , ‘ 2 : t . ow C. Caleitrapa. 
Fiorets yellow ; 6. C. solstitiulis, 
C. montana, from aie nha SAF teed Hione. Lind a pete others, are 
occasionally cultivated in our gardens, and two species from the 
Mediterranean, C. salmantica and C. paniculata, have been found in the 
Channel Islands, but do not appear to be established there. ¢ 
1. GC. nigra, Linn. (fig. 572). Anapweed or Hardheads.—A perennial, 
with erect stems, hard and branched, 1 to 2 feet high, Leavesfrom 
linear to lanceolate or oblong; the upper ones entire or nearly so, 
Clagpiag the stem at their base; the lower with a few coarse teeth or 
short lobes; all green, and rather rough with a few minute hairs, or — 
. C. Cyanus. 
. C. aspera. 
