C A R D U U S nutans.
M ußt Thißle.
SYNGENES1A Polygamia-aqualis.
G en. C har. Cal. fwelling, imbricated with fpinous
fcales. Recept. hairy. Down deciduous.
Spec. C har. Leaves interruptedly decurrent, fpinous.
. Flowers drooping. Calyx-fcales lanceolate, their
upper part fpreading.
Syn. Carduus nutans. Linn. Sp. PI. 1150. Sm. FI.
Brit. 848. Hudf. 350. With. 699. Hull. 179.
Relb. 315. Sikh. 244. Abbot. 175. Rail Syn. 193.
T h i s , the only Britilh Carduus which remains to be
publifhed in the prefent work, is not uncommon in wafte
ground, fallow fields and barren paftures where the foil is
gravelly, or, more efpecially, calcareous. It is an annual
plant, flowering in July and Auguft. The flowers are not
unornamental, and fmell ftrongly of rnufk in warm weather.
Their drooping pofture diftinguifhes them from our other
thiftles.
The ftem rifes, from a fpindle-fhaped root, to the height of
a or 3 feet, fometimes not fo much, and is ftriated, flightly in-
vefted with cottony down, and clothed with alternate leaves,
which form an interrupted fpinous wing on each fide the ftem.
The leaves alfo are very fpinous, deeply finuated and waved,
green on both fides, a little hairy but not rough. Flowers on
a woolly, round, naked, curved ftalk, folitary, terminal, of a
rich crimfon. Calyx ovate, its fcales ending in broad fpreading
leafy points, flightly clothed with cotton. Seeds, obovate,
Alining, marked with dotted ftreaks. Down deciduous, Ample,
rough, but not feathery.