Centaurea leucophaea, Jordan

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 : 277

115. C. leucophaea Jordan , Obs. Pl. Crit. 5: 64 (1847).

Biennial. Stems 30-50 cm, much-branched. Leaves greyish- or whitish-tomentose, glabrescent; lower usually pinnatisect. Capitula in a corymb. Involucre 7-13 x 5-13 mm, usually ovoid-globose; appendages mucronate or acute, sometimes with a short apical spine, fimbriate. Florets usually lilac. Pappus as long as achene, or absent. 2n= 18. • From N.E. Spain to N. W. Italy. Ga Hs It.

1 Pappus absent or very short (e) subsp. biformis 1 Pappusatleasti as long asachene 2 Appendages yellow, covering the bracts (f) subsp. ochrolopha 2 Appendages brown, not covering the bracts 3 Appendagespalebrown;involucrenotspotted

4 Bracts ovate; involucre rounded at base

(a) subsp. brunnescens

4 Bracts oblong; involucre narrowed at base (b) subsp. reuteri

3 Appendagesdarkbrown;involucrespotted

5 Appendages mucronate at apex, with c. 6 fimbriae on each side (c) subsp. leucophaea

5 Appendages with an apical spine and 8-9 fimbriae on each side (d) subsp. pseudocoerulescens