Centaurea scabiosa L.
Perennial. Stems erect, ribbed, branched, 40-70-(150) cm tall, with sparse multicellular and cobwebby hairs. Lvs not decurrent on stems, with scabrid hairs; lower lvs deeply 1-(2)-pinnatifid, 12-20-(30) × 3-8-(10) cm, with oblong, obtuse to subacute lateral lobes; upper lvs pinnatifid, becoming sessile, smaller. Capitula not clustered. Involucre globose, (7)-15-20 mm diam.; outer and middle bracts ovate to elliptic, not veined or obscurely 3-7-veined, glabrescent or puberulent or with cobwebby hairs; appendages erect to recurved, pectinate-fimbriate, not covering bracts, membranous, not narrowed at junction with bract, decurrent on upper 1/2of bract; fimbriae 8-14 on each side, brown, 2-3 mm long. Florets purple, the outer radiate. Corolla eglandular. Achenes 4-5.5 mm long, puberulent; pappus 4-5 mm long.
S.: Canterbury (Christchurch, Darfield, Waddington). Gardens, arable land, orchards;
Europe 1960
cultivation escape.
FL Dec-Mar FT Jan-Apr.
C. scabiosa is distinguished by the large globose capitula with the appendages decurrent on the involucral bracts. C. cyanus shares these features but has flattened fimbriae on the appendages, the basal fimbriae are silvery, and the lower lvs are narrower and less deeply divided.
