Cardopatum corymbosum, (L.) Pers.

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

1. C. corymbosum (L.) Pers. , Syn. Pl. 2: 500 (1807).

Stem 8-25 cm, erect, spiny, profusely and corymbosely branched above, so that the plant is often as wide as high. Leaves 7-35 x 3-12 cm, oblong-oblanceolate in outline, glabrous; segments spinose-pinnatifid. Capitula 5-10 mm in diameter, with 7-10 florets. Involucre with sparse arachnoid indumentum; outer bracts 12-18 mm. Corolla c. 10 mm, bright blue (rarely white); lobes much longer than tube. Achene 3 mm; pappus about as long as achene.

Dry, open habitats. E. Mediterranean region. Cr Gr It Tu.

Plants from a single gathering from S. Greece, which are said to differ in having inside the ordinary pappus a second ring of much shorter scales united at the base, have been distinguished as C. boryi Spach , Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 3, 5: 245 (1846). In other characters they differ only slightly from 1, and are best included in it until more material is available.