Carduus. | XLII. COMPOSITE. 253 
regular terminal corymb. Involucral bracts numerous, with very small 
somewhat prickly points, the inner ones often coloured. Florets purple. 
Hairs of the pappus feathery. 
In wet fields, and meadows, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, pene- 
trating into the Arctic regions. Frequent in Britain. Fl. summer. 
7. C. arvensis, Curt. (fig. 562). Creeping Thistle.—Rootstock peren- 
nial and creeping, with erect annual stems 3 or 4 feet high. Leaves | 
narrow, pinnatifid, and very prickly, either embracing the stem with 
prickly auricles or shortly decurrent. Flower-heads not large, forming 
rather loose terminal corymbs, and always diccious; the males nearly 
globular, with very projecting purple florets ; the females with much longer 
involucres but shorter florets, the copious feathery pappus of the achenes 
projecting considerably as the fruit ripens; in both, the involucral bracts 
are numerous, appressed, with very small prickly points. 
In cultivated and waste places, the commonest of European and Asiatic 
Thistles, accompanying cultivation to all parts of the world ; extending far 
to the north, though perhaps not quite to the Arctic Circle. Abundant 
in Britain. £7. swmmer. A curious variety, with the leaves almost entire, 
not decurrent, and scarcely prickly (C. setosus), not uncommon in south- 
eastern Europe and western Asia, has been found in Orkney, in the county 
of Fife, and in Ireland ; probably always as an introduced plant. 
8. C.eriophorus, Linn. (fig. 563). Woolly Thistle.-—The stoutest 
of all our indigenous Thistles, and much branched, but not so tall as 
some others. Leaves not decurrent, green and hairy above, white and 
cottony underneath, deeply pinnate, with narrow lobes ending in very sharp 
stout prickles. Flower-heads large and globular, clustered 2 or 3 together 
at the summits of the branches. Involucres covered with a cottony wool, 
the numerous bracts ending in a narrow prickly point. Hairs of the 
pappus feathery. 
In waste places, in central and southern Europe to the Caucasus, but not 
extending into northern Germany. In Britain, probably confined to the 
limestone districts of southern England and to some localities in Yorkshire. 
Fl. summer. 
9, C. heterophyilus, Linn. (fig. 564). Melancholy Thistle.—This 
Species is not prickly like other Thistles, but resembles them in other 
respects. Rootstock perennial and creeping, the stems tall, stout, deeply 
furrowed, with a little loose cottony wool. Leaves clasping the stem, with 
scarcely decurrent auricles, lanceolate, glabrous, and green above, very white 
and cottony underneath, bordered with very small, bristly but scarcely 
prickly teeth, and sometimes slightly lobed. Flower-heads about the size 
of those of C. lanceolatus, growing singly on long peduncles. Involucral 
bracts glabrous, lanceolate, obtuse, or with a very minute not prickly point. 
Hairs of the pappus feathery. 
In mountain pastures, in northern Europe and Asia, and in the great 
central ranges of both continents. Frequent in Scotland, extending into 
northern England, and North Wales. Fl. summer. 
10, C.tuberosus, Linn. (fig. 565). Tuberous Thistle.—Rootstock 
woody, usually shortly creeping, emitting occasionally a few thick, almost 
woody, tuberous roots, and erect or ascending stems, but little divided, or 
sometimes simple, about 2 feet high. Radical leaves pinnatifid, the 
