468 



THE COMPOSITE FAMILY. 



11. Meadow Thistle. Carduus pratensis, Huds. (Pig. 560.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 177. Cnicus, Brit. EL) 



Probably a mere variety of the tube- 

 rous T. The roots are less tuberous. 

 Stems 1 to 2 feet high, usually simple, 

 with a single ovoid flower-head, or occa- 

 sionally divided into 2 or 3 long one- 

 headed branches. Leaves more cottony 

 than in the tuberous T. 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 Ire- 

 land, more rare in the north. FL sum- 

 mer. Luxuriant specimens, with more 

 divided leaves, sometimes slightly de- 

 current, havebeen considered as a species 

 under the name of C. Forsteri, or as hy- 

 brids between this and the marsh T. Another luxuriant variety oc- 

 curs occasionally, approaching the tuberous T. in foliage, but with 2 or 

 3 flower-heads rather close together, not on long separate peduncles. 



Fig, 560. 



12. Dwarf Thistle. Carduus aeaulis, Linn. (Eig. 561.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 161. Cnicus, Brit. Fl.) 



W4lw/ 



In the common state this is at once 

 distinguished by the almost total want 

 of stem. A thick, woody, perennial 

 stock bears a spreading tuft of very 

 prickly pinnatifid 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. Occasionally, but rarely, the stem will grow up to the height 



of 2 or 3 inches. 



Fig. 561. 



