Centaurea.] XLIII. COMPOSITE. 255 



slightly cottony underneath when young. Involucres globular, on ter- 

 minal peduncles ; the bracts closely imbricate, so as only to show their 

 appendages, which are brown or black, and deeply fringed, except on 

 the innermost bracts, where they are shining and usually jagged. 

 Florets purple, either all equal or the outer row much larger and neuter 

 as in the rest of the genus. Achenes slightly hairy, often apparently 

 without any pappus, but really crowned by a ring of very minute, 

 scaly bristles, occasionally intermixed with a few longer, very de- 

 ciduous ones. 



In meadows and pastures, throughout Europe and western Asia, 

 except the extreme north, extending probably all across Kussian Asia. 

 Very abundant in Britain. Fl. all summer. The two forms, with or 

 without the outer row of large florets, are so different in appearance 

 that it has often been attempted to distinguish them as species, but it 

 has been now proved that they are mere varieties, and it is even 

 believed by some that the same plant will appear in some years with 

 and in others without the ray. G. decipiens, Thuill., is a variety, occur- 

 ring in Sussex, more frequently in some parts of the Continent, with 

 the appendages of the involucral scales of a much paler colour, with a 

 much shorter fringe, or only jagged. This form passes, however, 

 gradually into the common one. 



2. C. Scabiosa, Linn. (fig. 573). Greater G. — A stouter plant than 

 G. nigra, more branched at the base ; the leaves deeply pinnatifid, with 

 linear or lanceolate lobes, often coarsely toothed or lobed. Flower- 

 heads large, with purple florets, the outer ones always enlarged and 

 neuter. Involucral bracts broad, bordered only with a black appressed 

 fringe, leaving the green centre exposed. Pappus of stiff hairs or 

 bristles nearly as long as the achene. 



In pastures, waste places, roadsides, &c, throughout Europe and 

 Kussian Asia, except the extreme north. Kather frequent in England, 

 less so in Scotland, and scarcely indigenous beyond south-eastern Perth 

 and Forfar, local and rare in Ireland. Fl. summer and autumn. 



3. O. Cyanus, Linn. (fig. 574). Bluebottle or Cornflower. — An erect, 

 branching annual, about 2 feet high, covered with a loose cottony down. 

 Lower leaves usually toothed or pinnatifid ; upper ones, or sometimes 

 nearly all, linear and entire. Involucres solitary, on long terminal 

 peduncles, ovoid ; the bracts appressed, often ending in a minute 

 prickle, and bordered by a fringe of very small teeth. Central florets 

 of a bluish purple ; outer ones much larger, of a bright blue. Pappus 

 about the length of the achene. 



Apparently of south European or west Asiatic origin, but now spread 

 as a cornfield weed over a great part of Europe and Asia. Not un- 

 common in British cornfields, and formerly much cultivated in flower- 

 gardens, where it will sport much as to colour. Fl. all summer. 



4. C. aspera, Linn. (fig. 575). Guernsey C. — A biennial or perennial, 

 much branched, very spreading or prostrate, with hard but not thick 

 branches, glabrous, or rough with minute hairs. Leaves narrow ; the 

 lower ones pinnatifid, the upper ones entire. Flower-heads solitary at 

 the ends of the branches, with 1 or 2 leaves close under them. In- 

 volucres about the size of those of G. Gyanus, with appressed glabrous 

 bracts, not fringed, but most or all of them ending in a palmate appen- 

 dage of 5 minute prickles or points. C. Isnardi, Linn. 



