Centaurea calcitrapa

Te Mata Peak.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Date taken: 07/02/2016, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>

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Common name

star thistle

Family

Asteraceae

Authority

Centaurea calcitrapa L.

Flora category

Vascular – Exotic

Structural class

Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites

Conservation status

Not applicable

Flowering

November, December, January, February, March, April, (May)

Flower colours

Red/Pink

Fruiting

november, december, january, february, march, april, may

Year naturalised

1855

Origin

Mediterranean

Etymology

centaurea: From the classical name kentaurion (Greek) or centaureum (Latin) in the fables of ancient Greece, which describe the plant healing the foot of Chiron, a centaur famed for his knowledge of medicine and astronomy.

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