432 31. ECHINOPS SPimnOCEPHALUS. [CL. XIX. 



Viagnosls and Afflniiy. 



The most nearly related to this species is E. ewaltatus 

 Schrad., which is distinguished, however, by wanting branches, 

 by the absence of the glutinous integument, and by having 

 the teeth of the laciniae of the leaves more closely set ; (Schrad. 

 Hort. Gott. t. 9.) E. paniculatus Jacq., also is nearly rela- 

 ted to it, and is distinguished by its very branchy stehij by 

 having its flowers in panicles, and by its wrinkled leaves, the 

 upper surface of which is without hairs, the under surface 

 covered with a bluish-greert tomentum, and the laciniae 

 of which are squarrose ; {Jacqu. Eclog. t. 48.) E. Rltro L., 

 has likewise its leaves smooth on the upper surface, and co- 

 vered with a snow-white tomentum on their lower, and it has 

 Ave flowers on one stem ; (Schk. t. S69.) E strigosiis L.^ 

 has its leaves strigose on the upper surface, and tomentose 

 beneath. The flower-tops are not spherical, but properly 

 form tufts, the exterior calyx of which is protracted and abor- 

 tive ; {llerm. Farad, 224.) This species affords an oppor- 

 tunity of taking an important view of the inflorescence : it 

 is a compound, compressed spike, the flowering of which h 

 always from above downwards; (s, 74. Neue Entdeck. li 

 174.) The genus Echinops is related to the Boopideae of 

 Cassini, or the Calycereae Br , to which belong Boopis Juss , 

 Calycera Cav., and Acicarpha Juss. These also have a 

 calyx for each floret, but they have a receptacle furnished 

 Avith chaffy leaflets, and a common calyx. They are dis- 

 tinguished from all the other syngenesious plants by their 

 simple pistil, which is united to the tube of the corolla, by 

 the rich albuminous matter in the seed, and by the direction 

 of the radicle upwards. In Echinops, on the contrary, the 

 structure of the seed corresponds with the family character. 



Synonymes and Figures. 



Chamseleon verus, Trag\ f. Fuchs. 883. 



Carduus sphaerocephalus, Dodon. 722. Tahern. 1069. Acu- 



tus major, Park. 977. Besler. Syst jEst, xi. t. 7. f. 1. 



Latifolius major^ Moiis, sect. 7. t. 35. 



