462 



THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 



leafy appendage, ending in a long 

 prickle, and bordered with prickles at 

 its base. Hairs of the pappus simple. 



In waste places, in southern Europe 

 to the Caucasus ; not indigenous in 

 central Europe, although it occurs here 

 and there as a weed of cultivation. 

 Rare and probably only introduced into 

 Britain. Fl. summer. 



Fig. 550. 



2. Musk Thistle. Carduus nutans, Linn. (Pig. 551.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1112.) 



A stout species, 2 to 3 feet high, 

 usually slightly covered with loose cot- 

 tony hairs. Leaves deeply pinnatifid, 

 very prickly, their edges decurrent 

 along the stem, forming narrrow, very 

 prickly wings. Flower-heads large 

 and drooping, as in the milk T., but 

 often 3 or 4 in a loose corymb. Invo- 

 lucral bracts numerous, with a stiff, nar- 

 row-lanceolate appendage, ending in a 

 spreading or reflexed prickle, but with- 

 out lateral prickles. Hairs of the pap- 

 pus simple. 



In waste places, common in the greater 

 part of Europe and temperate Asia, but 

 not spreading to the extreme north. 

 Pretty frequent in southern England, 

 especially on limestone soils, less so in 

 the north, and rare in Scotland. Occurs 

 also in Ireland. Fl. summer. 



Fig. 551. 



