Family: Asteraceae
Centaurea solstitialis
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 917 (1753).
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: St Barnabys thistle, yellow cockspur, golden star-thistle.
Description:
Annual (rarely biennial) herb to 1 m high; stems erect, much-branched, winged, cobwebby to tomentose; basal leaves lanceolate, lyrate, pinnatiff& to 20 cm long, pubescent to cobwebby with scabrous margins, prominently veined, withering before flowering; cauline leaves narrowly lanceolate, decurrent, entire to dentate, 1-7 cm long, 2-8 mm wide, pubescent to cobwebby with scabrous margins.
Capitula solitary, 8-14 mm diam.; involucre broadly ovoid, 10-12 mm long; bracts ovate, glabrous or the outer ones somewhat cobwebby, pale-green; fippendages with a straight patent terminal spine 10-20 mm long and 1 or 2 pairs of spinules 1-3 mm long at the base, yellowish; outer florets patent to erect; corollas yellow.
Achenes c. 2.5 mm long, black; pappus of unequal bristles to 4 mm long.
Published illustration:
Parsons (1973) Noxious weeds of Victoria, p. 61.
Distribution:
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On roadsides and wasteland.
S.Aust.: FR, NL, MU, SL. All States except the N.T. Native to Europe.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: Oct. — April.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
Causes 'chewing disease' in horses.
Author:
Not yet available
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