''Centaurea scabiosa'', or greater knapweed, is a

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

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 food plant for

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sy ...

s of the Coleophoridae case-bearer moth '' Coleophora didymella''. ''Centaurea scabiosa'' has been used in traditional herbal healing as either a vulnerary or an

emollient A moisturizer, or emollient, is a cosmetic preparation used for protecting, moisturizing, and lubricating the skin. These functions are normally performed by sebum produced by healthy skin. The word "emollient" is derived from the Latin verb ''m ...

. 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.

Description

This perennial herb grows with an erect grooved stem up to 90 cm high. The leaves are alternate, pinnatifid and with stalks. The flower heads are 5 cm across and on long stalks. The florets are red-purple.Parnell, J. and Curtis, T. 2012. ''Webb's An Irish Flora'' Cork University Press.Clapham, A.R., Tutin, T.G. and Warburg, E.F. 1968 ''Excursion Flora of the British Isles.'' Cambridge University Press

Habitat

Dry grassland, roadsides and calcareous substrate.

Distribution

Found in

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

Images

Centaurea scabiosa MichaD 2.jpg, Bombus veteranus - Centaurea scabiosa - Keila.jpg, Centaurea scabiosa - põldjumikas Valingu.jpg, Bombus lucorum - Centaurea scabiosa - Keila.JPG, 20150723Centaurea scabiosa2.jpg,

References

* The Wild Flower Key British Isles-N.W. Europe by Francis Rose, page 385

External links

* * * {{Taxonbar, from=Q1569852 scabiosa Flora of France Flora of Denmark Flora of Estonia Flora of Germany Flora of Ireland Flora of Italy Flora of Latvia Flora of Lithuania Flora of Norway Flora of Russia Flora of Spain Flora of the United Kingdom Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus