Centaurea melitensis |
Asteraceae |
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Maltese starthistle, tocalote |
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Habit | Annual, 1.5-7 dm. tall, lightly covered with crisp hairs, the stem with narrow wings from the leaf bases. | |
Leaves | Basal and lower cauline leaves oblanceolate, toothed to lyrate-pinnatifid, 3-15 cm. long and 5-35 mm. wide, usually deciduous; middle and upper cauline leaves smaller, becoming linear-oblong and entire upward. |
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Flowers | Heads few to numerous; involucre 8-15 mm. high, broader toward the base, its middle and outer bracts spine-tipped, the central spine 5-9 mm. long; the inner bracts purple tinged; flowers yellow, all alike; pappus 1.5-3 mm. long; receptacle strongly bristly. |
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Centaurea melitensis |
Asteraceae |
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Flowering time | June-September | |
Habitat | Roadsides, meadows, balds, fields, ditches, wastelots, and other disturbed, open areas at low to middle elevations. | |
Distribution | Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia to California and Mexico, east to Texas and eastern North America.
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Origin | Introduced from the Mediterranean region | Native |
Conservation status | Not of concern | Not of concern |
Sibling taxa | ||
Web links |
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