The VEGETABLE SYSTEM. 6} 
fay, that it has neither form nor colour, delicacy nor fimplicity; but 
to look upon it, is to be aftonifhed, and whoever fees it, knows there 
is fomething in the afpedt of a Plant fupeiior to beauty. 
It rifcs to little more than a foot in heighth ; and though its Stalk 
is extreamly thick and llrong, it always leans, and often lies upon the 
ground entirely. The Leaves are thick and flefhy, of a blackilh green 
on the upper fide, and white on the under ; but on both covered thick 
with a long curly, heavy, cottony matter, fcattered wildly, and, as it 
were, irregularly ever them. The two fides of the Leaf are a fine con- 
trail: to one another ; and they are ufually feen more or lefs in every Leaf 
together, for the fides toward the bafe are naturally turned in, and 
drawn up; and moll in theyoungeft. 
The Stalk is tough and fpungy, and is covered thicker than the 
Leaves with this white frizzled matter : we know the lingular harfh- 
nefs there is upon the Stalks and Leaves of the Scabious of our com 
fields : but this is foft and woolly, it gives way to prefifure, and has a 
wonderful yielding to the touch, but rifes again prefently to its ufual 
form. The Branches are few ; the filmy Leaves upon them are white 
entirely. The Flowers are very large and green, but with a flight tinge 
of yellowifh. Their Cups have the fame woolly whitenefs with the 
Leaves ; and this gives a pleafing contrail to the colour of the Flowers. • 
They blow in Auguft. 
It does not feem that any of the writers on Botany have known this 
Plant, except Burman; and with him it appears in a degree of eminence 
and Angularity, beyond what I have feen: the Flowers on his Plant 
were proliferous; on mine they are Ample ; but ’tis a luxuriance to 
which the Scabious’s are not abfolutely llrangers, as we fhall fee in 
the fucceeding fpecies, even in their wild' Hate : and culture gives this' 
condition fomelimes in a high degree, even to the Mulk Scabious. 
18. PROLIFEROUS 
