Cirsium dissectum (L.)Hill Conservation status: C First record: Corbyn,1656 Cirsium anglicum G.1183. Corbyn,1656. Cirsium Britanicum [sic] Clusii repens Martyn,1727,32. Cirsium anglicum Ger.emac. It is frequent in Cambridgeshire. Blackstone,1746,14. Carduus heterophyllus Fl.Br. Cnicus heterophyllus Comp. Fl.Br. Card. helenoides With.ed.3. I have never found it nearer Wisbh. than Bardolph Fen. [Norf.] Skrim.MS. Carduus heterophyllus English soft, or gentle Thistle. Bardwell Fens. Relhan,1785; Carduus pratensis. Relhan,1802;1820. This is the Melancholy Thistle of Ray. (Carduus palustris mitior, Bardanoe capitulo summo caule singulari, Pluk. Almag.82. He found it in the Isle of Ely. It was probably C. pratensis) Bab.1860,136. 44 Carduus pratensis Sawston, n.c., 1850, SWN. Carduus pratensis Moist pastures at Sawston, n.c., n.d., SWN. Sawston Fen!; Newbould. Bab.1860,136. Sawston Moor, a few plants in roughly centre of meadows, SM Walters, 29.7.1983; G Crompton & M Meade, 8.1983. Peat–holes, near Triplow. Bab.1860,136. 45 Cirsium Anglicum primum The English soft or gentle Thistle, Melancholy Thistle, for the most part single headed. In the first close you pass through, as you go in the foot–way from Cambridge to Cherry–hinton, near a little ditch or gripe that crosseth the close from corner to corner. Ray,1660,35(54). Deleted 'In the first...to corner.' JM. ann. Cirsium Anglicum The English soft or gentleThistle.... like–wise in the first Close you pass through going in the foot–way from Cambridge to Cherry–hinton. Ray,1670:73–74. Cirsium Britann. Clus. repens Hinton Moor Th.M.ann.Meth.–Index Loc.10. Carduus pratensis Meadow Thistle. Hinton Moor. Fulbourn. [Cirsium Britannicum] Hinton moor July 13 1759. Th.M.ann.Meth.32. Carduus [added] heterophyllus Hudson C(herry) h(inton) C(herry) H(inton) M(oor) Fisher ann. Berkenhout,226. [added] heterophyllus Clus Cherry Hinton Cher: Hint. Moor Fisher ann. Berkenhout,226. Carduus heterophyllus English soft, or gentle Thistle. Hinton Moor. Relhan,1785; Carduus pratensis... Relhan, 1802. Hinton Moor; J Martyn. Bab.1860,136. Cirsium majus, singulari capitulo magno, vel incanum varie dissectum. The English soft or gentle Thistle. It is common in moist meadows about Cambridge. Martyn,1732,1:194–195. Carduus pratensis Meadow Thistle. Shelford Moor. Relhan,1820,331. Carduus pratensis Shelford Moor. Henslow ann. 2:331. Shelford Moor (now drained); Henslow. Bab.1860,136. Near Cambridge, n.c., Hb.SH Bickham, 1843, CGE. Dernford Fen, n.c., 11.7.1958, Bishops Stortford College herb. Dernford Fen, not found, G Crompton & SM Walters, 1977. 46 Carduus pratensis Horningsea–fen. Henslow ann. 2:331. Cnicus pratensis Horningsea Fen, WLP G[arnons], 6.1829, SWN. Horningsey Fen. Bab.1860,136. 47 Carduus pratensis Cottenham. Willingham. Relhan,1820,331. Cottenham and Willingham Fens; Relhan. Bab.1860,136. 49 Firelots, AF.cat. Horse Moor, nr Wimblington, TG Tutin & JSL Gilmour, 17.6.1930, CGE. 55 Carduus heterophyllus Fulbourn. Relhan,1785; Carduus pratensis Relhan,1802;1820. By the brook near Fulbourn. Bab.1860,136. Balsham Wood, RB Smart, Bab.ann. 56 Carduus pratensis Anglesey Abbey. Relhan,1802;1820. Cnicus pratensis Anglesea Abbey, L.J., 25.6.1826 (two specimens), BATHG. Carduus pratensis Angelsey Abbey. Henslow ann. 2:331. Bottisham Fen, JS Henslow, 23 May 1826, CGE. Anglesey Abbey; Henslow. Bab.1860,136. Cnicus pratensis Bottisham Fen, L.J., 26.6.1827, BATHG. Cnicus pratensis Fen below Clay–hithe [Bottisham Fen] 15.5.1828, and 27.5.1829. Henslow Excs. Bottisham Fen, Mrs Casborne, 10 June 1833, CGE. Cnicus pratensis Bottisham Fen, S Hailstone, 1845, YRK:674; HJW Cat.; SH Cat. Bottisham Fen, CC Babington, 13.6.1857, CGE. Bottisham Fen. Bab.1860,136. Carduus pratensis Burwell–fen. Henslow ann. 2:331. Burwell Fen, CC Babington, 15.6.1836, CGE. Burwell Fen. Bab.1860,136. 57 Upware, CC Babington, 29.6.1833, CGE. WICKEN FEN Wicken Fen, Bab.1860,136. Wicken Fen, W Cross, 4 July 1900, CGE. Wicken Fen, RH Lock, 5 July 1901, CGE. Wicken Fen, HD.ann. West ann. CEM.ann. Wicken Fen, DH Valentine, 1939. Loc.freq. in mixed fen by windmill, SM Walters, 1976. Wicken Fen, AC Leslie & BS Croxall, 29 June 1977, CGE. derelict ditch, Sedge Fen Drove, Wicken Fen, 55–70–, PJO Trist, 8.7.1986, [R]. Wicken Fen, 57K, 57Q, P Stebbings, 17.6.1992, [R]. Wicken Fen, 56–70–, PH Oswald & U3A group, 10.7.1995, [R]. Wicken Fen, 54–73–, M Crewe, 1997, [R]. 58 Cirsium Anglicum The English soft or gentlleThistle. In the Fens in the Isle of Ely abundantly: Ray,1670:73–74. Carduus pratensis Meadow Thistle. Littleport. Relhan,1802;1820. Littleport; Relhan, Bab.1860,136. Cnicus pratensis Ely J.D., 23.6.1830, NTM. 66 CHIPPENHAM MOOR Chippenham Moor, Bab.ann. Carduus pratensis Chippenham Fen. Fryer and Bennett, 1883, Bennett,1899,244. Chippenham Moor, AF.ann. Chippenham Fen, A Shrubbs, 12 July 1886, CGE & Shrubbs ann. Chippenham Fen, RI Lynch, 16.6.1886, CUBG 80/86. Chippenham Fen, RI Lynch, 18.6.1897, CUBG 137/97. Cnicus pra Chippenham Fen. West,1898,253. 1898. Chippenham Fen, FR Tennant, July 1901, CGE. Chippenham, A Malins Smith, 31.7.1907; CEM.ann. Mills ann. n.d. Chippenham Fen, JL Crosby, 1938. Chippenham Fen, EA George, 17.7.1940, CGE. Chippenham Fen, SM Walters, 5.6.1946, CGE. Wet meadow at far end of Chippenham Fen, 645.697, PD Sell 61/265, 22.6.1961,CGE. Chippenham Fen, Compts 1 & 2, (widespread) 11, 13, (less common) M Musgrave, 1977. Chippenham Fen, Compt. 2, MJ O'Leary, 6.1989.
