Family: Asteraceae
spotted knapweed
[Acosta maculosa auct. non (Lam.) Holub, more, Centaurea biebersteinii DC.]
Etymology: Centaurea: ancient Greek plant-name, poetically associated with Chiron, the Centaur, but without wholly satisfactory explanation Plants: erect, biennial/perennial, 1'-4' tall forb Leaves: pinnately-divided with narrow lobes Flowers: head 1" wide with pink to purple disk flowers, starry, loosely thistle-like, bracts (phyllaries) fringed with black "eyelashes"; inflorescence a solitary head at the ends of the many branches; blooms June-Oct. Habitat: dry; disturbed sites; in limy soil Invasiveness: Restricted Invasive - Eradicate! Conservation Status: Introduced - naturalized; ecologically invasive
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