Centaurea uniflora

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 : 295

191. C. uniflora Turra , Farset. Nov. Gen. 12 (1765).

Perennial. Stems 10-15(-20) cm, numerous, erect or ascending (rarely up to 50 cm and procumbent), leafy up to the apex. Leaves green to greyish-lanate-tomentose, undivided; lower oblong-lanceolate, ovate or elliptical, long-attenuate into the petiole; middle cauline truncate, auriculate or narrowed at base, entire to dentate; upper linear-lanceolate, entire, acuminate. Involucre 12-25 mm in diameter, ovoid-cylindrical to subglobose; appendages of inner bracts ovate, imbricate, not exserted; appendages of middle bracts blackish-brown, the acumen lanceolate-setaceous, plumose-fimbriate, recurved at the apex, the fimbriae c. 20-30 on each side. Florets violet, rarely white, the outer radiate. Achenes 3-4 mm; pappus 0-5-1 mm. 2« = 22. Dry grassland, rocky slopes in montane and alpine regions. • Alps and N. Appennini', S. Carpathians and mountains of N. & C. parts of Balkan peninsula. Au Bu Ga Gr He It Ju Rm.

1 Leaves white-tomentose on both surfaces, later glabrous and greyish-green (a) subsp. uniflora

1 Leaves green, puberulent on both surfaces

2 Stem usually simple, with one capitulum; middle cauline leaves truncate, hastate or auriculate-semiamplexicaul at base, dentate; involucre 18-20(-25) mm in diameter, ovoid-globose (b) subsp. nervosa

2 Stembranched,withseveralcapitula; middlecaulineleaves gradually narrowed into a petiole, rounded at the base; involucre 12 mm in diameter, ovoid-cylindrical

3 Stemascending;lowerleavessinuatelylobed;appendages not covering bracts (c) subsp. ferdinandi

3 Stemerect; lowerleavesentire; appendagescompletely covering bracts (d) subsp. davidovii