Milk Thistle. 
Carduus marianus. 
CARDUUS Lhmei. Gen. PL Svugenesia Poiygamia asqualis. 
Calyx ovatus, imbricatus fquamls fpinofis. Piceptaculmn pilofum. 
Ral!Syn.Gen. i8. Hekbasflore exfloscolisfistulakibus composito, sivecapitat.e. 
CARDUUS nearlanus follis ampkxicaulibus haftato pinuatiHdis fpinofis calycibus aphyllis : fpinis Cana- 
liculatis duplicato fpnofis. Linn. SjyJ. Vegetab. p. 605. Sp. PI. 1153. 
SILYBUM nervis foliorum albis. Haller. Hijl. n. i8r. 
CIRSIUM maculatum. ScopoU FI. Carnlol. p. 130. 
CARDUUS albis maculis notatus vulgaris. Bauhm. Pm. p. 281» 
CARDUUS marlas. Gerard, emac. 1150. 
CARDUUS marize vulgaris. Parhnfon. 976. 
Raii Synop. p. I9j. Common Milk Thiflie, or Ladles Thillle» 
Hudfon. FI. Angl. ed. 2. p. 353.. 
Lightfoot. FI. Scot, p. 454. 
% 
RADIX annua. , t- u- ? 
FOLIA radicalia fupra terram expanla, pedalia, bipe- ^ 
daiia ec ultra, pinnatifido finuata, nitida, mar- | 
gine I'pinofa, luperne venis albis reticulatis 
piiSta, lubinde vero immaculata, Caulma am- ^ 
plexicauUa, patentia, fuprema recurvata, bafi | 
’■ ’ % 
t 
FLORES folitaril, magni, purpurei. 
CALYX : Folia quce calycem componunt vana funt, 
inferiora nempe rotundata, fpinis ciliata ; inter- 
media utrinc^ue ad bafin fpinis ciliata, acumi- 
nata, patentia, rigida, fuperne canaliculata, 
fpinaflavefcente terminata; fuperiora et interi- 
ora lanccolata, inermia, apice purpurea, mar- 
ginibus fiflis, i, 2, 3. 
COROLLULiE infundlbuliformes, tubo tenuiffimo, 
curvato, albo, fg. 4 ; Limbo eredlo, quinque- 
fido, bafi fubglobofo, nitido, intus melleum 
liquorem fundente, laciniis linearibus, aqua- 
libus. 
STAMINA: Filamenta quinque, ppilkria, bre- 
viffima : Anther;E purpurea;, in tubumtenu- 
iffimum coalltiE, Jig. 6. 
PISTILLUM : Germen ovatum, compreflum, album; 
Stylus filiformis, flaminibus longior, prope | 
apicem circulo villorum coronato, dein utrin- | 
que fulcato et apice bifido, fg. 7. | 
SEMINA .plurima, ovata, fubangulata, nirida, _ nigri- | 
cantia, pappo obliquo, rigidulo, fimplici, al- ? 
bido coronata. ^ 
RECEPTACULUM pilofum. % 
ROOT annual. 
LEAVES next the root, expanded on the ground, 
from, one to two feet or morein length, finua- 
ted, and piunatifid, fhining, the edge fpinqus, 
on the upper fide painted i^ith white veins, 
which form a kind of net work, but fometimes 
wholly green ; leaves on the Jialk partly fur- 
rounding the ftem, fpreading, the uppermoft 
leaves bent back, the bafe of each prefled clofe 
to the flalk. 
from three to fix feet high, branched, at bot- 
tom about the thicknefs of the middle finger, 
downy, grooved, at top naked, and finely 
channeled. 
FLOWERS one on each ftalk, large, and purple. 
CALYX. The leaves which compofe the calyx are 
various ; the lowermoft are of a roundifh 
fhapc, and edged with fpines ; the middle 
ones edged with fpines towards the bottom, 
and running out to a point, fpreading, rigid, 
hollow on the upper fide, and terminating in 
a yellowifh fpine ; the upper and innermofl: 
leaves lanceolate, without fpines, purple at top, 
and notched on the edges, i, 2, 3. 
FLORETS funnel fhaped ; tube very {lender, bent, 
and white. Jig. 4 , Lhnb ereft, divided into 
five fegments, at bottom fomewhat globular, 
and fecreting a honey liquor withinfide, the 
fegments linear, and equal in length. 
STAMINA ; five Filaments, very fhort, and fine: 
Anther.® purple, united into a very flender 
tube, j^. 6. 
PISTILLUM: Germen oval, flattened, and white^: 
Style thread-fhaped, longer than the flami- 
na, crowned near the top with a circle of 
fhort- hairs, from thence grooved on each fide, 
and bifid at top, jig. 7. 
SEEDS numerous, oval, fomewhat angular, fhining, 
of a blackifh colour, crowned with a ftiffifh, 
fimple, white down, growing obliquely. 
RECEPTACLE hairy. 
CAULIS tripedalis, ad orgyakm, ramofus, Infeme STALK 
craffitie digiti intermedii, tomentofus, iulca- 
lus, fuperne iiudus, flriatus. 
THE beautiful milk white veins which form an irregular net work on the upper fide of the leaves of this 
fpecies oiUiiRle^ joined to its grandeur, render it an objedl which flrikes the attentio'n of moft ; and where thele 
veins exifl, they ferve allb very well to charaaerize the plant: the leaves however are frequently wholly green; 
in which cafe, it becomes neceflary to have recourfe to fome of its other charaaers, than which none are more 
confpicuous than the flrong fpines which defend the bloflbm. 
The feeds are large, and contain a portion of oil, whence they have fometimes been made ufe of m emulfions : 
but they more often ferve as food for the Goldfinch, and other granivorous birds. 
Jt is a very common plant on our banks, by the fides of roads, and among rubbifb, and flowers in May and 
June. The variety with green leaves, I have obferved on the banks near Lenningtoti rumpike. 
Did it not occupy fb much fpace, its beauty would recommend it as a garden plant. 
