198 The Flora of Wiltshire. 



3. C. Scabiosa (Linn.) Great, or Scabious-leaved Knapweed 

 Matfellow. Engl. Bot. t. 56. 



Locality. Borders of fields, waste ground, &c., especially on 

 chalk throughout the county. P. Fl. July, September. Area, 11 

 2. 3. 4. 5. Stem 2 to 3 feet high, angular branched. Leaves, dark 

 green. Flowers large, purple, solitary at the ends of the branches. 

 A variety with white flowers is occasionally met with. 



Onopokdum, (Linn.) Cotton Thistle. 

 Linn. CI. xix. Ord. i. 



Name. From onos, an ass, and perdo, from its effect on the 

 animal. 



0. Acantkium, (Linn.) common Cotton Thistle. This is con- 

 sidered by some the emblematical thistle of Scotland ; others assign 

 the honour of representing our sister kingdom to the Milk-thistle 

 ( Silyhum Marianum), or to the Welted- thistle ( CarduusAcanthozdes). 

 The motto " Nemo me impune lacessit," will apply to either of the 

 three with equal justice. Acantkium is a diminutive of acantha ; 

 which is said by some to be from alee a point, and anthos, a flower. 

 Engl. Lot. t. 977. 



Locality. By road-sides and in waste places, particularly in 

 chalky or sandy soils. B % Fl. August. Area, * * 3. 4. * 



South Division. 



3. South-west District, " Corn-fields in the parish of Britford," 



Mr. James Uussey. 



North Division. 



4. North-west District, " Lane between Kington and Corsham," 

 Rev. E. Bowlandson. " Rudlow and Box," Mr. C. E. Broome. 



Very rare in Wilts, and only as yet observed in the above Dis- 

 tricts. When the flowering is over, the innermost scales of the 

 involucrum close together and preserve the seed ; in this respect, 

 as well as in the honey-combed receptacle, it differs from the com- 

 mon Thistles (the Carduus and Cnicus tribes), in which, as soon as 

 the seed is ripe, the first hot day opens the heads, expands the 

 pappus, and the least wind carries away the seeds ; but in this plant 

 they remain shut up and strongly defended. 



