Du vb. p. 61. — Irv. Lond. FI. p. 155. — Mack. FI. Ilibern. p. 153. — Xanthium 
inerme, Gray’s Nat. Air. v. ii. p. 255. — Xanthium seu Lappa minor, Ray’s Syn. 
p. 140 — Bauli. Hist. v. iii. pt. it. p.572, with a figure. — Kardana minor, Johns. 
Gcrarde, p. 809 . — Bardana minor seu Xanthium, Merr. Pin. p. 14. - Small 
Burdock, Fetiv. H. Brit. t. 1. f. 12 . 
Locai.itiis. — In ricli moist ground, or about dunghills; very rare. — Dorset ; 
“ 1 found one plant only by the river side, on a dunghill, at VVareham, on the 
right hand of the bridge, in the way to Stowborrow:” Pultf.ney, in B. G. — 
Durham ; On Jarrow, and Soulli Shields, and Sunderland Ballast-hills: N. J. 
Winch, Esq. — Hants ; “ L found it onre in the road from Portsmouth to 
London, some three miles from Portsmouth Hay. Mr. Woods has sought for 
it here in vain : B.G. — Kent ; In the road at Dulwich, a little on this side the 
College, just by the style going the foot-way from thence to London: T. Wil- 
i IS! l and Mr . N ewton , in Ray’s Syn. Mr. Woods sought for it here in vain : 
G. — Middlesex ; Near London, by the foot- way to the New River; and at 
Staines: Martvn. Mr. Woods could not find it here.— Northumberland ; On 
Byker and Willington Ballast-hills: N. J. Winch, Esq. — Surrey ; In a bog 
beyond Peckham: M mu Err. By the Canal Bridge, Peekham, asingle plant: 
Air. ILC. Watson, in N. B.G. — IRELAND. Said to have been found near 
Listowel, county of Kerry: Mr. J. T. Maokay. 
Annual. — Flowers in August and September. 
Root fibrous. Stem solitary, upright, from one to two feet high, 
branched, leafy, furrowed, solid, downy. Leaves alternate, on 
long petioles, heart-shaped, lobed, cut, and doubly serrated ; nearly 
four inches long, and two or three inches wide ; with three princi- 
pal nerves at the base, minutely downy all over ; dark green on 
the upper surface, paler underneath. Racemes axillary, leafy, few- 
flowered. Sterile Flowers one or two on each raceme ; anthers 
separate, not united as in the class Syngenesia. Fertile Flowers 
four or five on each raceme, immediately beneath the sterile ones : 
all green. Involucrum of the fertile flowers (see fig. 3.) oblong, 
coriaceous, prickly, divided by a longitudinal partition (see fig. 4.), 
ending at top in two beaks, which at first are straight, but after- 
wards curved inwards and hooked, gaping in the inner side by a 
longitudinal cleft, but not splitting. Fruit (see fig. 2.) 1-seeded, 
dark brown, enclosed in the enlarged and hardened involucrum. 
Seeds (figs. 5 & 6.) oblong, attenuated at each end, striated, con- 
vex on one side, flat on the other. 
This is “ a rank, weed-like plant,” very rarely to be met with in a wild state in 
England; most of the localities given above being doubtful ones. It is, however, 
said to be more common in some other parts of Europe ; and also in Africa about 
Alg iers ; and in China and Cochincliitia, in fields and hedges. 
The leaves are bitter and astringent, and were formerly in repute for the cure of 
scrophulous disorders, to which the specific name alludes. A decoction of the 
whole plant affords a showy yellow colour ; but it is better if only the flowers are 
used. Horses and goats eat it ; cows, sheep, and swine refuse it. The seeds are 
said to be the favourite food of the Carolina Parrot, or Paraquet. 
The drawing for the accompanying plate w'as made from a well preserved speci- 
men in the Sherardian Herbarium. The sections are from English Botany, 
and from G/Ertner’s De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum, t. 164. f. 9. 
