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DIPSACUS pilofus.
Small Teafel.
TETRANDRIA Monogynia.
G en. Char. General calyx of many leaves; partial
fuperior, of one leaf. Receptacle chaffy. Seed-
crown cup-fhaped.
Spec. C har. Leaves on footftalks, with an appendage
at each fide. General calyx reflexed, equal
in length to the head of flowers.
Sy n . Dipfacus pilofus. Linn. Sp. PI. 141, Sm. FI.
Brit. 169. Hudf. 61. With. 182,. Hull. 33.
Relh. 59. Sibth. 54. Abbot. 29. Curt. Lond,.
fafc. i . t. 10.
D. minor, feu Virga paftoris. Raii Syn. 192..
I n moift fluidy wafte ground on a calcareous foil the Small
Teafel or Shepherd’s Staff fometimes occurs, but is far from
being a general plant. It flowers in Auguft and September.
Root fpindle-fhaped, biennial. Stem 3 or 4 feet high, ereft,
branched, fpreading, angular, very rough with afcending
hooked prickles. Leaves oppofite, fpreading, on foot-ftalks,
ovate, pointed, ferrated, accompanied by a pair of fmall leaflets
at their bafe. Flowers white, in round, terminal, long-ftalked
heads. Common calyx of fpveral equal, reflexed, lanceolate,
pointed leaves, fringed with hairs, as are alfo the white
ftraight fcales that- feparate the flowers. Corolla funnel-fhaped,
irregularly five-lobed, hairy. Stamina twice as long as the
corolla, with purple anther*. Crown of the feeds fringed.
This is too rare a plant to incommode the farmer 5 neither
has it been, on the contrary, applied to any ufeful purpofe.
As an ornamental flower it has little claim to a place ip the
garden.