Echinops 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 : 212

110. Echinops L. 2

Perennial, rarely annual herbs with erect, sulcate stems. Leaves 1- to 2-pinnatifid. Capitula with 1 floret, grouped into 1 or more globose inflorescences with laciniate basal bracts. Involucral bracts in 3-5 rows, with branched or simple, white setae outside them; inner bracts linear, fimbriate, of intermediate length between the shorter outer and the middle bracts. Florets hermaphrodite; corolla tubular, blue or greyish to white; anthers bluish-grey. Achenes cylindrical, angled, densely hairy; pappus of free to connate, scale-like setae.

All species are found in dry, often rocky habitats.

1 Leaves with dense, patent, rigid hairs above; involucral bracts 28-36 4. strigosus

1 Leaves glabrous or indumentum not as above; involucral bracts 12-25

2 Middleinvolucral bracts with spines at least twice as long as the rest ofthe involucre

3 Leaveswitharachnoid indumentum above; involucral bracts puberulent 1. spinosus

3 Leaves with simple glandular hairsabove; involucralbracts glabrous 2. spinosissimus

2 Spines of middle involucral bractslessthantwiceaslongas the rest of the involucre orabsent

4 Inner involucral bracts connateforatleast thebasalthird

5 Stem eglandular 5. graecus

5 Stem glandular

6 Outer involucral bracts narrowlylineartolinear-lance­

olate, more than | aslongasinvolucre 6. fontqueri

6 Outer involucral bractsspathulate,not more than i aslong as involucre

7 Involucral setae notexceedingouter involucralbracts 2. spinosissimus

7 Involucral setae exceeding outerinvolucralbracts

3. orientalis

4 Innerinvolucralbractsfree to base

8 Involucral setae up to f aslongascapitulum,notmore than I as long as outerinvolucralbracts

9 Stem densely glandular-hairy;inflorescencepurplish 12. oxyodontus

9 Stem arachnoid-tomentose,sometimesalsowith afew glandular hairs;inflorescenceblue 11. microcephalus

8 Involucral setae at least $aslongascapitulum,slightly shorter to muchlongerthanouter involucralbracts

10 Inflorescence bluish

11 Involucral setae connate at base;leavesflat,with densely scabridulous margin,thelobeswithslender apical spine 2-4 mm 9. bannaticus

11 Involucral setae connate at leastinbasalhalf;leaf-margin revolute, withstoutapicalspines3-15mm 10.ritro

10 Inflorescence white orgreyish

12 Involucral setae connateatbaseorfree;upper surface of leaves with glandularhairsnot more than 0 -5mm, the margin neverscabridulous 7. sphaerocephalus

12 Involucral setae connateforbasalhalf;upper surface of leaves with rigid hairs morethan0 -5mm,the margin denselyscabridulous 8. exaltatus