Centaurea napulifera subsp. thirkei

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 : 300

(e) Subsp. thirkei (Schultz Bip.) Dostál , op. cit. 210 (1976)

( C. thirkei Schultz Bip. ):

Rhizome short, truncate, without or with short stolons; roots up to 5 cm, napiform, crowded. Stem l-10(-20) cm, simple, rarely sparingly branched. Leaves grey-tomentose; lower in basal rosette, broadly obovate to broadly oblong-elliptical, sinuately lobed or lyrate-pinnate; cauline linear-oblong, remotely dentate. Appendages broadly (1-2 mm) decurrent. Outer florets pale cream, rarely purple. E. part of Balkan peninsula, extending northwards to S. Moldavia.

C. karlowensis Friv. ex Hampe , Flora (Regensb.) 20: 228 (1837), from Bulgaria (Karlovo), is probably only a variant of 217(d) with the leaves not or scarcely decurrent.