Centaurea jacea, L.

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 : 291

178. C. jacea L. , Sp. Pl. 914 (1753)

( C. amara L. pro parte).

Perennial. Stems 50-120 cm, 1-5, erect or ascending, scabrid, simple or sparingly branched from the middle, thickened below the capitula. Leaves scabrid on the margin and beneath, green, hairy; basal ovate to broadly lanceolate, entire, dentate or pinnately lobed; cauline sessile, oblong-lanceolate, entire or dentate. Capitula in a corymb. Involucre 15-18 x 12(—15) mm, ovoid; appendages appressed, orbicular, usually covering bracts, scarious, pale brown, darker in the centre, muticous, the outer bracts denticulate to pectinate-lacerate. Florets purple, rarely white, the outer more or less radiate. Achenes c. 3 mm, pale greyish- to blackish-brown; pappus absent or very short. 2« = 22, 44. Grassland and open woods. Most of Europe, except the islands. Al Au Be Bu Cz Da Fe Ga Ge Gr He Ho Hs Hu It Ju No Po Rm Rs (N, B, C, W, K, E) Si Su Tu [Br].

Many morphological intermediates between 178 and 186, 187 and 188 occur and have been given formal recognition; it is probable, however, that they are of hybrid origin.