Centaurea cineraria L.

Perennial. Stems erect, ribbed, branched above, 50–75 cm tall, with dense silvery felted tomentum. Lvs not decurrent on stems, with silvery or greyish felted tomentum dense beneath and dense to sparse above; lower lvs petiolate, deeply (1)–2-pinnatisect, 8–20 × 3–6 cm, with oblong to linear segments; upper lvs sessile, smaller, 1–(2)-pinnatisect. Capitula not clustered. Involucre ovoid to campanulate, 13–16 mm diam.; outer and middle bracts ovate to lanceolate, 3–(5)-veined, with sparse flattened cobwebby hairs; appendages erect, fimbriate, not covering bracts, membranous, not narrowed at junction with bract, decurrent c. 1/2way to base of bract; fimbriae 7–10 on each side, pale to dark brown, c. 1 mm long. Florets purple, the outer weakly radiate. Corolla glandular. Achenes 4–5 mm long, pubescent; pappus c. 0.5 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Nov.–Dec.; Fruiting: Nov.–Jan.