220 THE TEASEL FAMILY. [Dipsacus. 



A very small European and north Asiatic genus. 



Heads of flowers ovoid or cylindrical, very prickly . . . . 1. D. sylvestris. 

 Heads of flowers globular, very hairy, and slightly prickly . . 2. D. pilosus. 



1. D. sylvestris, Linn. (fig. 492). Wild T. — A stout biennial, 4 or 5 

 feet high, with numerous prickles on the stems, the midribs of the 

 leaves, the peduncles, and involucres. Leaves sessile, long and lanceo- 

 late, entire or coarsely toothed, the upper ones broadly connate at the 

 base. Heads of flowers at first ovoid, but gradually becoming cylin- 

 drical, near 3 inches long and above 1 \ inches in diameter. Involucre 

 of 8 to 12 long but very unequal, stiff, linear, prickly bracts, usually 

 curved upward. Scales of the receptacle broad and hairy at the base, 

 ending in a fine prickly point, rather longer than the florets. Flowers 

 pale lilac. 



On roadsides and waste places, in central and southern Europe, and 

 all across Kussian Asia, not extending northward beyond Germany. 

 Common in the southern counties of England, more rare in the north, 

 and in Scotland, and a doubtful native of Ireland. Ft. late in summer, 

 or autumn. The fullers 1 Teasel (D. fullonum) is believed to be a culti- 

 vated variety of this plant, only differing in the scales of the receptacle 

 being hooked at the extremity. 



2. D. pilosus, Linn. (fig. 493). Small T. — A branching biennial, 2 to 

 4 feet high, covered with stiff spreading hairs or bristles, which rarely 

 amount to weak prickles. Leaves with 1 large, ovate, pointed, and 

 coarsely toothed terminal segment, and 1 or 2 pairs of smaller ones on 

 the short leafstalk. Flowers white, forming globular, hispid heads, 

 barely an inch in diameter, on long peduncles. Bracts of the involucre 

 seldom longer than the florets, and passing gradually into the scales 

 of the receptacle, which are ovate, ending in a fine stiff point, about as 

 long as the florets. 



In rather moist hedges, thickets, and on banks, in central and southern 

 Europe to the Caucasus, extending northwards to southern Sweden. 

 Occurs in most of the southern and central counties of England, as far 

 north as York, but not in Ireland or Scotland. Fl. summer and autumn. 



II. SCABIOSA. SCABIOUS. 



Herbs, either annual or with a perennial stock, becoming shrubby in 

 some exotic species, without prickles. Heads of flowers hemispherical 

 or globular, with an involucre of small, green, not prickly bracts. 

 Involucels various. Corolla 4- or 5-lobed, often oblique. Ovary and 

 fruit crowned by the little cup-shaped calycine border, with 4, 5, or 

 more teeth or bristles. 



This, the principal genus of the family, belongs chiefly to the Mediter- 

 ranean region, a few species extending over the rest of Europe and 

 temperate Asia. Although not very numerous in species, it has been 

 broken up into 4, 5, or 6 genera, the three British species being referred 

 severally to Succisa, Scabiosa, and Triehera or Knautia. 



Leaves entire or nearly so. Florets 4-lobed, the outer ones 



scarcely larger than the others 1, & succisa. 



Leaves toothed or divided. Outer florets of each head usually 

 much larger and more oblique. 



