CARLINA CORYMBOSA subsp. GRAECA

Family:- COMPOSITAE/Subgen. CARLINA

Common Names:- Flat-topped carline-thistle

Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Carlina (L) For Charlemagne (742-814) Emperor of Rome (whose army

was supposed to have been cured of the plague with a species of Carlina, which the

Archangel had revealed to him).

Corymbosa (L) With a 'Flat-topped" inflorescence.

Graeca (L) Grecian, Greek

General description:- Perennial, almost without hairs or with sparsely fine

interlaced hairs or short, dense, matted hairs.

Stems:-

1) (10-)20-50(-80) cm. With one or more stems arising from an underground

rhizome.

Leaves:-

1) Up to 9 x 3 cm, oblong-lanceolate to ovate, dentate or pinnatisect. with strongly

spinose margins.

2) Middle cauline internodes 12-15 mm.

3) Upper leaves widest at the base, amplexicaul.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula 12-20 mm diam, solitary on short branches, forming a rather dense

corymb.

2) Inner involucral bracts 10-16 x 1·5-2·5 mm, bright or brownish yellow.

3) Outer involucral bracts exceeding the inner by 15-20 mm.

4) Florets yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes c. 2·5 mm.

2) Pappus c. 8 mm.

Key features:-

1) Outer involucral bracts exceeding the inner by15-20(-60) mm.

2) Leaves and outer involucral bracts spinose-dentate to pinnatifid, with the margin

between the principal spines usually finely spinose-dentate.

3) Capitula mostly pedunculate, in a ± corymbose inflorescence.

4) Middle cauline internodes 12-15 mm; upper leaves widest at base, amplexicaul

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Rocky and gravelly coastal habitats, grassland, open dry shrubby

vegetation, roadsides, fallow fields, open woodland. 0-2000 m.

Distribution:- Widespread across the Mediterranean except Cyprus and East.

fairly common and widespread on Crete.

Flowering time:- Apr-Aug.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis