Centaurea calcitrapa L.

Spice Capitulum In the field

Family: COMPOSITAE (ASTERACEAE)

Genus: Centaurea

Catalan common name: Card estrellat. Card vermell. Floravia. Herba espitllera. Riola.

Spanish common name: Arbojos. Cardo estrellado. Encarnada. Garbanzos del cura. Trepacaballos.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Hemicryptophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Non cultivated fields and road sides.

Characteristics: The Centaurea are characteristic because the bracts from the capitula usually have a dentate or even thorny tip; in the case of Centaurea calcitrapa these spines are long and robust (up to 3 cm). These spines frequently appear when the buds are small, giving the impression that the leaves or stems are thorny. The flowers are purple. This plant branches out a lot from its base, the stem leaves are small, the basal ones are larger but disappear when the plant is in flower. It flowers at the end of spring.