Carlina corymbosa, 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 : 209

3. C. corymbosa L. , Sp. Pl. 828, [1231] (1753).

Subglabrous to sparsely arachnoid-tomentose perennial (10-)20-50(-80) cm, with one or more stems arising from an underground rhizome. Leaves up to 9 x 3 cm, oblong-lanceolate to ovate, dentate to pinnatisect, undulate, with strongly spinose margin. Capitula 12-20 mm in diameter, solitary on short branches, forming a rather dense corymb. Inner involucral bracts 10-16x 1-5-2-5 mm, bright or brownish yellow. Florets yellow. Achenes c. 2-5 mm; pappus c. 8 mm. 2/z = 18, 20. 5. Europe. Al BI Bu Co Cr Ga Gr Hs It Ju Lu Sa Si Tu.

Very variable, but not easily divided into subspecies. Of those recognized below, subsp. (c), of very limited distribution, is fairly distinct; subsp. (b) is distinct from (a) in the E. Mediterranean region, but some variants of the latter in S.W. Europe, especially Corse and Mallorca, come very close to subsp. (b).

1 Outer involucral bracts not exceeding the inner, or exceeding them by not more than 10(—15) mm (a) subsp. corymbosa

1 Outer involucral bracts exceeding the inner by 1 5-20(-60) mm

2 Leaves and outer involucral bracts spinose-dentate to -pinnatifid, with the margin between the principal spines usually finely spinose-dentate (b) subsp. graeca

2 Leaves and outer involucral bracts deeply and remotely spinose-pinnatisect, with the margin between the principal spines usually ± entire (c) subsp. curetum