Thistle
Thistle names 3 different subjects across the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. Each is set out below.
Thistle ORDER OF THE, a Scotch order of knighthood
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
ORDER OF THE, a Scotch order of knighthood, sometimes called the Order of St. Andrew. It was instituted by James VII. (James II. of England) in 1687, when eight knights were nominated. It fell into abeyance during the reign of William and Mary, and was revived by Queen Anne in 1703. As at present constituted, the order consists of the British sovereign and knights to the number of 16. The insignia consists of a collar, badge, jewel, star, and ribbon. The collar is composed of golden thistles and leaves connected by crossed sprigs of rue, enameled. The badge is a golden eight-pointed star, whereon is an enamof St. Andrew, bearing in eled figure are front of him his cross in silver; it is worn attached to the collar. The jewel is worn round the neck with the ribbon. The star is of four points, with a St. Andrew's Cross embroidered in silver upon it. In the center is a green and gold thistle within a circle of green, bearing the motto in golden letters; ribbon, dark green; motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (No one provokes me with impunity). Besides the knights ordinary, there are extra knights (princes), and a dean, a secretary, the lyon-king-at-arms, and the gentleman usher of the green rod.
Thistle the prickly plants of the tribe Cynaraceæ
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
the prickly plants of the tribe Cynaraceæ, natural order Composite. There are numerous species, most of which are inhabitants of Europe, as the musk thistle (Carduus nutans), milk thistle (C. Marianus), welted thistle (C. acanthoides), was presiding elder at the India Conferslender-flowered thistle (C. tenuiflorous), the spear thistle (Cnicus lanceolatus), and field thistle (Cnicus arvensis), a well-known plant very troublesome to the farmer. The blessed thistle, Carduus benedictus of the pharmacopeias, Cnicus benedictus or Cirsium benedictum of modern botanists, is a native of the Levant, and is a laxative and tonic medicine. The cotton thistle belongs to the genus Onopordon. The common cotton thistle (O. Acanthium) attains a height of from four to six feet. It is often regarded as the Scotch thistle, but it is doubtful whether the thistle which constitutes the Scotch national badge has any existing type, though the stemless thistle (Cnicus acaulis or Cirsium acaule) is in many districts of Scotland looked on as the true Scotch thistle. Some dozen species of thistle are common in the United States, spreading from New England to Florida; Canada thistle is one of the severest pests of the farmer, W. and S.
Thistle thisl, a common name given to a large group of plants of the composite family
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
thisl, a common name given to a large group of plants of the composite family. They are allied closely to the burdock. They are characterized by spiny leaves and bracts. The bracts of the head form an acorn-like cup. The flowers are usually purple and some are of great beauty. Growing as they often do in standing grain, the thistles are very troublesome weeds. The worst is the Canadian thistle . The more it is plowed up and persecuted, the more it seems to spread. The only way to exterminate it is to get it entirely out of the ground, for each fragment left behind produces a new plant. The thistle is the national flower of Scotland. Authors are disagreed, however, as to which of several species is to be regarded as the national emblem. See Seeds; Goldfinch ; Dumbarton
What Has Changed in the Last Century
The Order of the Thistle described by Collier's in 1921 still runs on the same lines — the sovereign (now Charles III) plus sixteen knights, the dark green ribbon and the motto Nemo me impune lacessit — with the one substantial change that women may now be admitted, as Ladies of the Thistle, and installations take place in the Thistle Chapel at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. The botany has been renamed rather than revised: Compositae is now Asteraceae, the tribe Cynaraceae is Cynareae, and the Carduus and Cnicus names have largely been reassigned, so the spear thistle is Cirsium vulgare and the milk thistle Silybum marianum. Collier's called the Canada thistle "one of the severest pests of the farmer"; it is now Cirsium arvense, known to be a Eurasian plant despite its name, and it is listed as a noxious weed across many US states and Canadian provinces, still fought exactly as Aiton's advised in 1910, by removing every root fragment. Aiton's note that "authors are disagreed" about which species is Scotland's emblem remains true — the cotton thistle, spear thistle and stemless thistle all still have advocates.
Written for this edition, 2026.