Centaurea regia
Centaurea regia
Ssp cynarocephala: Topaç kavgalazı; Ssp regia: Şah kavgalaz
Biennial with thick fleshy taproot and erect stem, 40 – 110 cm, arachnoid-tomentose, at last glabrescent. Leaves rigid papyraceus , hirsute with articulate hairs, densely on veins. Basal leaves long petiolate, ovate-subcordate or rarely lyrate, up to 40 × 20 cm . Lower cauline leaves broadly lanceolate, entire or lower part pinnatilobate; median leaves broadly lanceolate or oblong, sessile and decurrent, 20 x 10 cm; upper leaves lanceolate, narrowly decurrent; Inflorescence raceme; capitula with involucres, 40 – 55 × 40 – 60 mm diam., subglobose; phyllaries multiseriate, coriaceus-scarious, median phyllaries ca. 20 - 25 × 20 - 25 mm ; appendages large, ovate or broadly triangular, concealing basal part of phyllaries, white or straw-coloured to brownish purple with 10 – 17 cilia; cilia 4 – 7 mm long, ending in a 4 - 14 mm spine. Flowers purple, ca. 45 mm. Achenes 6 – 9 × 3 – 4 mm, shiny. Pappus double , barbellate, straw-coloured to brownish, 10 – 13 mm, inner 2 – 5 mm.
1- Terminal spine of median phyllaries 8 – 14 mm long; appendages white or straw-coloured, rarely brownish…….subsp. regia
1- Terminal spine of median phyllaries 4 - 8 mm long; appendages brownish or brownish-purple…………subsp. cynarocephala
1- Terminal spine of median phyllaries 4 - 8 mm long; appendages brownish or brownish-purple…………subsp. cynarocephala
Ir.-Tur. element. Syria, Iraq and Persia occidentalis
