Centaurea scabiosa

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
(Redirected from Greater knapweed)
Jump to: navigation, search
Centaurea scabiosa
Centaurea scabiosa.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
(unranked):
(unranked):
(unranked):
Order:
Family:
Tribe:
Genus:
Species:
C. scabiosa
Binomial name
Centaurea scabiosa

Lua error in Module:Taxonbar/candidate at line 22: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

Centaurea scabiosa or Greater Knapweed is a perennial plant of the genus Centaurea. It is native to Europe and bears purple flower heads.

Greater knapweed is found growing in dry grasslands, hedgerows and cliffs on lime-rich soil. Upright branched stems terminate in single thistle-like flowerheads, each having an outer ring of extended, purple-pink 'ragged' bracts which form a crown around the central flowers. The plant has deeply dissected leaves which form a clump at the base.

This species is very valuable to bees. It is also a magnet for many species of butterfly. Among them is the Marbled White.

This is the only known foodplant for caterpillars of the Coleophoridae case-bearer moth Coleophora didymella. Centaurea scabiosa has been used in traditional herbal healing as either a vulnerary or an emollient.

The plant is sometimes confused with Devils-bit Scabious, however the leaves on this plant are arranged alternately, whereas in Devils-bit they are opposite.[1]

Images

References

  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • The Wild Flower Key British Isles-N.W. Europe by Francis Rose, page 385

<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>