162 WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
leaves narrow and undivided, and the lower ones lobed towards the midrib with the terminal lobe 
the largest (lyrately-pinnatifid.) 
Very rare. Scotch mountains. August — September. Perennial. 
SOW THISTLE. (SONCHUS, LINN.) — Flower-heads large, in terminal clusters (corymbs). 
Florets all strap-shaped (ligulate), yellow. Flower-bracts numerous, overlapping, in several rows, 
the outer ones much shorter. Calyx-tube surmounted with simple hairs ; petals 5, united at the 
base into a tube and spreading into a 5-toothed, strap-shaped limb (ligulate) ; stamens 5, the 
anthers united ; carpels 2, united ; fruit an achene, crowned with the silky, simple calyx-hairs 
(pappus). Stems leafy, succulent, brittle ; juice milky. Herbs with alternate, toothed (dentate) 
or lobed (pinnatifid) leaves. 
Common Sow-thistle. (Sonehus oleraeeus, Linn.)— As just described. The flower- 
heads f-i inch across, crowded in terminal masses (corymbs), several flower-branches starting from 
the same point at the top of the stem (umbellate) ; the florets pale yellow ; the flower-bracts 
smooth ; the stem 1-3 feet high, smooth, thick, hollow, branched, full of a milky juice ; and the 
leaves smooth, lance-shaped, toothed (dentate), shiny, bright green, with a slight bluish bloom 
(glaucous), more or less lobed towards the midrib (pinnatifid), the upper ones clasping the stem 
(amplexicaul). \Plate 7 5. 
This plant is a favourite food of rabbits, pigs, and sheep. 
Very common. Waste places, gardens. June — August. Annual. 
Rough Sow-thistle. (Sonehus asper, Hoffm.) — A very similar plant, with the leaves 
wavy and spinous but not lobed. 
Very common. Waste places and gardens. June — August. Annual. 
Corn Sow-thistle. (Sonehus arvensis, Linn.)— Flower-heads very large and handsome, 
1-2 inches across, crowded in terminal masses (corymbs) ; the florets bright yellow ; the flower- 
bracts covered with long, gland-tipped hairs. [As described in the genus Sonehus.] The 
stem 18 inches to 5 feet high, simple, branched above, hollow, and angular, the upper part 
covered with gland-tipped hairs ; the leaves sharply toothed, wavy, smooth ; the lower ones 
narrowly lance-shaped, undivided or deeply lobed (pinnatifid), with the lobes pointing dowmwards 
towards the base (runcinate) ; the upper lance-shaped and generally undivided, clasping the stem 
(amplexicaul.) 
Common. Fields and cultivated ground. August — September. Perennial. 
Marsh Sow-thistle. (Sonehus palustris, Linn.)— A very similar species to the Corn 
Sow-thistle, but with smaller flower-heads, f-i inch across ; pale yellow florets ; flower -bracts with 
gland-tipped hairs ; stem 3-7 feet high, unbranched ; and toothed (dentate) leaves ; the lower 
deeply lobed (pinnatifid), with the lobes pointing downwards towards the base (runcinate) ; the 
upper ones stalkless (sessile), long, narrowly acute, arrowhead-shaped (sagittate) at the base. 
Very rare. Marshes, by tidal rivers, fens. July — August. Perennial. 
