Centaurea maculosa, Lam.

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 : 278

120. C. maculosa Lam. , Encycl. Méth. Bot. 1; 669 (1785).

Biennial. Stems 20-60 cm, erect, paniculately branched. Leaves greenish, with arachnoid indumentum or glabrous; lower 2- pinnatisect, with lanceolate segments. Capitula solitary. In­ volucre 9-15 x 8-15 mm; bracts with prominent veins on dorsal surface; appendages pale brown, sometimes with a black spot at the base; fimbriae 2-3 mm, 6-12 on each side. Florets pink. Pappus 0-5-2 mm, f-i as long as achene. 2n— 18. • From C. France eastwards to S. Germany and N. Italy. Au Ga Ge He It.

1 Appendageswith apicalmucro 0-7-1 mm,the fimbriae 2-3 mm (c) subsp. albida 1 Appendages acute, orwith apical mucro not more than 0-5 mm, the fimbriae 1 - 5-2-5 mm 2 Involucre 8-13 mm in diameter, rounded at base (a) subsp. maculosa 2 Involucre 5-8 mm in diameter, narrowed at base 3 Appendages dark brown with a blackish spot (b) subsp. chaubardii 3 Appendages yellow-brown, not spotted (d) subsp. subalbida