CENTAUREA POCULATORIS

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

Common Names:- None

Synonyms:- None

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

hoof wound with this plant.

Poculatoris (L) Cup-like, cup-shaped.

General description:- Herbaceous perennial.

Stems:-

1) 5-10 cm, procumbent.

Leaves:-

1) Rosette leaves, lanceolate or spathulate, entire or usually the upper sinuate-

lobed or pinnatisect with ovate to suborbicular segments, usually short, long

petiolate the younger floccose tomentose, the older more or less glabrescent.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula, solitary with yellow florets.

2) Involucre, 12-16 x 6-8 mm, pectinate-ciliate.

3) Appendages, with a slender, erect apical spine.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes oblong, puberulent.

2) Pappus white, consisting of unequal, minutely scabrous bristles up to 3,5 mm

long.

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Habitat:- Crevices of limestone cliffs and rocky slopes in gorges. 50-300 m.

Distribution:- Cretan endemic, confined to the west Crete. Rare.

Flowering time:- Late Apr to mid-June.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis

Status:-

Conservation status (for threatened species): Endangered (E) according

to the Red Data Book of Rare and Threatened Plants of Greece (1995) -

Vulnerable (V) according to IUCN 1997

Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981