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Maltese starthistle, tocalote

Habit Plants annual, 1–10 dm.
Stems

branched above, sparsely tomentose;

gland-dotted.

Leaves

villous, thinly to densely tomentose;

gland-dotted;

basal and lower cauline blades oblong to oblanceolate, 2–15 cm;

margins dentate, pinnately lobed or entire, petiolate to tapering at base; upper cauline blades linear to oblong, 1–5 cm, bases decurrent;

margins dentate to entire.

Inflorescences

1–few in corymb-like arrays or heads solitary.

Involucres

ovoid, 8–15 mm.

Florets

yellow, sterile florets ? fertile florets, fertile florets 10–14 mm.

Phyllaries

outer ovate, bases spiny-fringed;

surfaces tomentose to glabrate;

central spines slender, 5–10 mm, often purple; inner entire; acute or spine-tipped.

Fruits

2.5–3 mm, white or light brown, finely hairy, pappi of unequal, white bristles, 1.5–3 mm.

Heads

disciform.

2n

=24.

Centaurea melitensis

Centaurea macrocephala

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Disturbed areas, roadsides, open woods, fields, pastures. Flowering May–Jul. 0–700 m. CR, ECas, Est, Sisk, WV. CA, ID, NV, WA; scattered in North America; Africa, Asia, Europe. Exotic.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 214
Bridget Chipman
Sibling taxa
C. benedicta, C. calcitrapa, C. cyanus, C. diffusa, C. iberica, C. jacea, C. jacea x Centaurea nigra, C. montana, C. nigra, C. nigrescens, C. solstitialis, C. stoebe, C. virgata
C. benedicta, C. calcitrapa, C. cyanus, C. diffusa, C. iberica, C. jacea, C. jacea x Centaurea nigra, C. melitensis, C. montana, C. nigra, C. nigrescens, C. solstitialis, C. stoebe, C. virgata
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