Centaurea scabiosa

Last updated

Centaurea scabiosa
Centaurea scabiosa.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Centaurea
Species:
C. scabiosa
Binomial name
Centaurea scabiosa
L.

Centaurea scabiosa, or greater knapweed, is a perennial plant of the genus Centaurea . It is native to Europe and bears purple flower heads.

Contents

Greater knapweed is found growing in dry grasslands, hedgerows and cliffs on lime-rich soil. Upright branched stems terminate in single thistle-like flowerheads, each having an outer ring of extended, purple-pink "ragged" bracts which form a crown around the central flowers. The plant has deeply dissected leaves which form a clump at the base.

This species is very valuable to bees. It is also a magnet for many species of butterfly. Among them is the marbled white.

This is the only known food plant for caterpillars of the Coleophoridae case-bearer moth Coleophora didymella . Centaurea scabiosa has been used in traditional herbal healing as either a vulnerary or an emollient.

The plant is sometimes confused with devils-bit scabious, however the leaves on this plant are arranged alternately, whereas in devils-bit they are opposite. [1]

Description

This perennial herb grows with an erect grooved stem up to 90 cm high. The leaves are alternate, pinnatifid and with stalks. The flower heads are 5 cm across and on long stalks. The florets are red-purple. [2] [3]

Habitat

Dry grassland, roadsides and calcareous substrate. [3]

Distribution

Found in Great Britain and Ireland. [3] Native to Europe and Asia. In Europe, it can be found in most regions except certain Portugal and certain islands, such as Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, Mallorca, the Greek islands and Iceland. In Asia, it can be found in the Caucasus region and Siberia with the exception of Chukotka and the Magadan Oblast. [4]

Images

References

  1. ↑ Rose, Francis (1981). The Wild Flower Key. Frederick Warne & Co. pp. 385–387. ISBN   0-7232-2419-6.
  2. ↑ Parnell, J. and Curtis, T. 2012. Webb's An Irish Flora Cork University Press. ISBN   978-185918-4783
  3. 1 2 3 Clapham, A.R., Tutin, T.G. and Warburg, E.F. 1968 Excursion Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press ISBN   0-521-04656-4
  4. ↑ "Centaurea scabiosa L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2025-07-31.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.