CENTAUREA RAPHANINA subsp. RAPHANINA

Family:- COMPOSITAE/Sect. RHIZANTHAE

Common Name:- None

Synonyms:- None

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

hoof wound with this plant.

Raphanina (L) Radish-like.

General description:- Almost acaulescent perennial with a stout woody stock.

Stem:-

1) Up to 5(-20) cm.

Leaves:-

1) Oblong-lanceolate or lyrate-pinnatifid, glabrescent.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula, usually in groups of 2-4, sessile or subsessile.

2) Involucre, 15-25 mm, ovoid.

3) Bracts oblong to ovate.

4) Appendage of middle phyllaries dark brown, mucronate.

5) Florets pink or purple, the outer slightly longer than the inner.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes 3-5mm, brown, sericeous.

2) Pappus as long as or slightly longer than the achene.

Key features:-

1) Leaves dull, oblong-lanceolate or lyrate-pinnatifid.

2) Involucre ovoid-oblong, narrowed at the base.

3) Appendages with a simple apical spine 2-9 mm.

Habitat:- Cliffs, rock-crevices, old walls, rocky dry open shrubby vegetation, bare

stony ground, flat clayey areas (alt. 0-2300m).

Distribution:- Endemic Crete, Karpathos and Kasos. Widespread and common on

Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar to early July

Photos by:- Steve Lenton