CENTAUREA ARGENTEA subsp. MACROTHYSANA

Family:- COMPOSITAE/Subgen. ACROLOPHUS/Sect. PANNOPHYLLUM

Common Name:- None

Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Centaurea (Gr) Centaur, Centauros. The centaur Chiron was cured of a

hoof wound with this plant.

Argentea (L) Silvery, silvered.

Macrothysana Meaning unknown

General description:- Whitish-densely woolly, grey-green perennial.

Stems:-

1) 10-45 cm, erect or ascending, with few, short branches.

Leaves:-

1) Lower, lyrate, with oblong segments.

2) Cauline, not appressed, yellow, tomentose.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula, solitary.

2) Involucre bracts, triangular to triangular-ovate, 1.4-3.5 mm long, bearing spines

0.6-2 mm long.

3) Florets yellow.

Fruit:-

1) Achene, pappus about as long as the achene.

Key features:-

1) Cauline, leaves not appressed, yellow; covered with short, dense, matted hairs.

2) Florets yellow.

3) Involucre bracts, triangular to triangular-ovate, 1.4-3.5 mm long, bearing spines

0.6-2 mm long.

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Habitat:- Crevices and ledges of limestone clilfs, often in semi-shade in gorges,

rarely ungrazed coniferous woodland. 0-900(-1800) m.

Distribution:- Cretan endemic.to the Ziros mountains in the far south-east:

Flowering time:- Apr-July.

Photo by:- Steve Lenton