lanceolate: lower ones short, bluntish, reflexed, of a
light green, sometimes tipped with r ed : upper ones
long, acute, dark purple. Receptacle flat, paleaceous:
cAo^long, rigid, subulate. Florets numerous, tubular,
slender at the base, and ventricose upwards, deeply
divided into 5 segments, which are lanceolate, bluntish,
connivent. Stamens 5, filaments distinct: anthers ex-
serted, all connected, each with two long aristas at
the base. Style longer than the stamens, quite smooth,
of a pale colour. Stigma bifid, purple, the segments
spreading. Seed quadrangular, tuberculate, crowned
with a radiate pappus of toothed or fringed hairs.
In referring the present plant to the genus Carduus,
we have done so in agreement with Mr. D. Don’s Pro-
dromus Florae Nepalensis, where the best character of
the genus, in our opinion, is given ; we have been long
anxiously expecting the above work, so many plants
having been introduced from Nepal within those few
years, and the greater part of them unnamed, so that
a work of the kind was absolutely wanting, particularly
as so few of the Nepal plants are noticed by Dr. Wal-
lich in the Flora Indica, now publishing under his inspection
; and which are not to appear till the end of
that work, which will probably be several years before
it is completed. We consider the above publication
of Mr. Don’s as an excellent little work, and does the
author much credit; and as Mr. Lambert has received
a great number of specimens from Nepal since it was
published, we hope before long to see a new edition.
The present plant is a hardy biennial, flowering the
second year after being sown; it will succeed well in
the common garden soil, in any open situation, and requires
no care, but to be kept clear of weeds. Drawn
at the Nursery off Mr. Colvill, last Summer.
1. Involucre split through the middle, to show the chaffy recep tac le. 2. Scales
o f the Chaff. 3. Floret. 4. The 5 Stamens showing th e ir united anthers, each
with 2 aristas a t the base. 5. Seed crowned with a rad ia te pappus o f toothed
hairs, and terminated by a Style and bifid Stigma.