User:DavidAnstiss/Centaurea corensis

Centaurea corensis, the squarrose knapweed, is a species of plant belonging to the genus Centaurea of the family Asteraceae. It is only native to Sardegna, Italy.

C. corensis occurs not only in Sardinia, but also in Campania, in the island of Procida (Bay of Naples); (b) probably the taxon had been accidentally introduced into Sardinia by trade; (c) the species is strictly related to C. deusta Ten., as already stated by Valsecchi and Filigheddu (1991); After examining living and dried material, we conclude that these white-flowered populations are to be referred to C. corensis. Their individuals, both in the wild and in cultivation, are typically erect, shortly-lived perennial herbs (sometimes biennial); but, in the most vigorous individuals, their habit becomes suffruticose, and therefore, undistinguishable from that typical of C. corensis. All the other diagnostic features completely concur with C. corensis: ovate-cylindrical heads of medium size (within the C. deusta group), bracts greenish, appendage with a pale or silvery spot and rounded widely scarious margins, obtuse-rounded, muticous or with a short mucro (the upper ones), flower white rarely pinkish shaded, short pappus (Figure 1).

Taxonomy
Franca Valsecchi Rossella Filigheddu Vals. & Filigh. First published in Webbia 45: 235 (1991)

Habitat
HABITAT TYPE Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) Threats Housing & urban areas Tourism & recreation areas Mining & quarrying Recreational activities