( 490 .) 
DI'PSACUS* * 
Linnean Class and Order. Tetra'ndria f, Monogy'nfa. 
Natural Order. Dipsa'ce.$:+, Juss. Gen. PL p. 194. — Sm. Gr. 
of Bot. p. 125. — Lindl. Syn. p. 139. ; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. 
p. 196. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 457. — Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 520. — 
Don’s Gen. Syst. of Gard. and Bot. v. iii. p. 680. — Mack. FI. Hib. 
p. 140. — Hook. Brir. FI. (4th ed.) p. 410. — Syringales; subord. 
Asteros.e ; sect. Valerina? ; type, Dipsacea? ; Burn. Outl. of 
Bot. v. ii. pp. 900, 901, 916, and 918 . — Aggregate, Linn. 
Gen. Char. Flowers aggregate. Involucrum of many spread- 
ing, permanent leaves, (see fig. 1.) longer than the bracteas 
^scales of the receptacle^ (see fig. 6). Involucellum ( outer calyx) 
(fig. 2, a. and fig. 5, a.) 4-sided, very minute, forming a thickened 
margin to the germen. Calyx (fig. 2, b. and fig. 5, b.) cup-shaped, 
ciliated at the margin. Corolla (see fig- 2.) of 1 petal, tubular; 
the limb in 4 or 5 lobes, upright ; the outer segment largest. Fi la- 
ments (see figs. 2 &3.) 4, hair-like, from the mouth of the corolla, 
longer than its limb. Anthers oblong, incumbent. Germen (see 
figs. 2 k 4.) inferior. Style (see fig. 4.) thread-shaped, the length 
of the corolla. Stigma simple, or cloven. Seed (see figs. 4 & 5.) 
solitary, oblong, angular, with 8 depressed pores, crowned with the 
calyx, and inclosed within the involucellum. Receptacle of the 
flowers conical, beset with the bracteas or scales (see fig. 6.), which 
separate the flowers, and extend beyond them. 
The many-leaved involucrum, longer than the bracteas ; the 
4-stded involucellum, forming a thickened margin to the germen ; 
the cup-shaped calyx ; the solitary seed ; and the receptacle with 
scales, or bracteas, extending beyond the flowers; will distinguish 
this from other genera, with a monopetalous, superior corolla, in 
the same class and order. 
Three species British. 
DI'PSACUS SYLVE'STRIS. Wild Teasel. Venus’s Basin. 
Spec. Char. Stem prickly. Leaves opposite, usually connate 
at the base. Scales of the Receptacle straight at the extremity. 
Leaves of the Involucrum curved upwards. 
Engl. Bot. t. 1032. — Curt. FI. Lond. t. 202. — Jacq. FI. Anstr. t. 402. — FI. Dan. 
t 965. — Johnson’s Gerarde, p. 1167. f. 2. — Park. Theatr. p. 984 f. 2. — Ray’s. Syn. 
p. 192 — Threl. Syn. Hibcrn. — Linn. Syst. Yog. (15th edit.) p. 147. — Willd. 
Sp. PI. v. i. pt i. p. 544. — Sm. FI. Brit. v. i. p. 168. ; Engl. FI. ▼ i. p. 193. — 
With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 216. — Gray’s Nat. An*, v. ii. p. 475. — Lindl. Syn. p. 139.— 
Hook. Brit. FI. p 60. — Macr. Man. Brit. Bot. p. 115 — Don’s Gen. Syst. of Gard. 
and Bot. v. iii. p. 682. — Sibthovp. FI. Oxon. p. 54. — Abb. FI Bedf. p. 29. —Davies’ 
Welsh. Bot. p. 14. — Purt. Midi. FI. v. i. p. 94. — Relh. FI. Cant. (3rd ed ) p. 55. — 
Hook. FI. Scot. p. 49. — Grev. FI. Edin. p. 34. — FI. Dev. pp. 25 and 161. — Johnst. 
FI. Berw. ▼. i. p. 35. — Winch’s FI. of Northumb. and Durh. p. 9. — Walker’s FI. 
FI. of Oxf. p. 34. — Bab. FI. Bath. p. 24. ; Prim. FI. Sarn. p. 49. — lrr. Loud. FI. 
Fig. 1. Involucium. — Fig. 2. A separate Flower; a. the Involucellum ; b. the 
Calyx. — Fig. 3. Stamens. — Fig. 4. Germen, Style, and Stigma. — Fig. 5. Fruit, 
crowned with the involucrum, a; and the calyx, — Fig. 6. A Bractea. — Fig. 7. 
Portion of the stem, showing a pair of leaves united at the base, and forming a 
kind of cup or basin. 
* From dipsao, Gr. to be thirsty ; probably from the connate leaves holding water, 
•f See fol. 114, note -j-. J See ful. 179, a. 
