Centaurea cineraria, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 270

70. C. cineraria L. , Sp. Pl. 912 (1753).

Perennial. Stems up to 80 cm, erect, rarely procumbent, with few branches above. Leaves more or less tomentose, rarely glabrescent; lower lyrate to 2-pinnatisect. Capitula solitary. Bracts broadly ovate; appendages usually dark brown, the apex acuminate, not spinose; fimbriae 0-5-2 mm. Florets purple. Pappus $ as long as achene, rarely absent. 2« = 18. Rocks, mainly near the sea. W. coast of Italy, Sicilia. It Si.

A polymorphic species. Many taxa intermediate between the following subspecies have been described.

1 Plant densely white-tomentose

2 Lowerleavesl- (2-)pinnatisectwith8 -12 ovatesegmentson each side; sinuses obtuse (a) subsp. cineraria 2 Lower leaves lyrate with 4-7 oblong segments on each side;

sinuses acute (b) subsp. busambarensis 1 Plant ± grey-tomentose or glabrescent

3 Stems erect; leaves thin (c) subsp. cinerea 3 Stems procumbent;leavesfleshy (d) subsp. veneris