Centaurea diluta, Aiton

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 : 285

163. C. diluta Aiton , Hort. Kew. 3: 261 (1789).

Perennial. Stems up to 50 cm, erect, branched. Lower leaves incise-dentate, the lowermost lyrate; upper entire, semiamplexicaul. Capitula solitary, pedunculate. Involucre 8-12 mm in diameter, ovoid; bracts brown, appressed; appendages shortly decurrent, orbicular-ovate, with membranous margin, irregularly fimbriatelacerate, the apex emarginate with a rigid, filiform spine in the notch. Florets purple, the marginal distinctly patent. Inner achenes with pappus as long as achene; outer with very short pappus. S.W. Spain; a frequent casual elsewhere. Hs. (N.W. Africa.)