254 THE COMPOSITE FAMILY, [ Carduus. 
lobes waved and prickly, slightly hairy above, with more or less of a 
loose cottony wool underneath; the stem-leaves few, less divided, sessile 
or sometimes very shortly decurrent. Flower-heads not very large, ovoid, 
growing singly on long terminal peduncles. Involucral bracts lanceolate, 
not prickly, with more or less of cottony wool. MHairs of the pappus ~ 
feathery. , 
In moist, rich meadows, and marshy, open woods, in western and south- 
central Europe, extending eastwards to Transylvania. In Britain, only in 
Wiltshire, near Heytesbury, and near Swindon. Fl. summer. [This is re- 
garded by foreign authors as a variety of pratensis. | 
11, C. pratensis, Huds. (fig. 566). Meadow Thistle——Probably a 
mere variety of C. tuberasus. The roots are less tuberous. Stems 1 to 2 
feet high, usually simple, with a single ovoid flower-head, or occasionally 
divided into 2or 3 long one-headed branches.{ Leaves more cottony 
than in C. tuberosus and much less divided, the radical ones usually sinuate 
or shortly pinnatifid, the stem leaves lanceolate, bordered only with short, 
slightly prickly teeth. 
In low, wet pastures, boggy meadows, and marshy thickets, chiefly in 
western Europe. Abundant in some of the southern counties of England 
and Ireland, more rare in the north. 7. summer, Luxuriant specimens, 
with more divided leaves, sometimes slightly decurrent, have been con- 
sidered as a species under the name of C. Forster, or as hybrids between 
this and C. palustris. Another luxuriant variety occurs occasionally, 
approaching C. tuberosus in foliage, but with 2 or 3 flower-heads rather 
close together, not on long separate peduncles. | 
12, C.acaulis, Linn. (fig. 567). Dwarf Thistle-—In the common 
state this is at once distinguished by the almost total want ofstem. A 
thick, woody, perennial stock bears a spreading tuft of very prickly pin- 
natifid and glabrous leaves, in the midst of which are a few rather large 
sessile flower-heads. Involucres ovoid, not cottony, with numerous lan- 
ceolate, obtuse or scarcely pointed bracts, Florets purple. Hairs of the 
pappus feathery. 
In dry pastures, in temperate Europe and Russian Asia, extending 
northward to southern Scandinavia. In Britain, only in the southern 
and some central counties of England, where it is often a troublesome 
weed in pastures. Fl. summer, rather late. In some situations, on the 
Continent, the stem will grow out to 6 or 8 inches, but this variety is very 
rare in England, 
XXVI. ONOPORDON. ONOPORD. 
Large-headed, stout, prickly herbs, only differing from Carduus in the 
receptacle, which, instead of bearing long chaffy, bristles between the florets, 
is honeycombed into a number of little cavities, the jagged edges of which 
are shorter than the achenes. ; 
There are but few species, natives of the Mediterranean and Caucasian ~ 
regions, one only of which extends into central Europe. — 
1, O. Acanthium, Linn. (fig. 568). Common Onopord, Scotch or | 
Cotton Thistle).—A stout, branched biennial, attaining sometimes 6 feet 
or even more, covered with a loose cottony wool. Leaves coarsely toothed 
SEE ee 
