SPECIES DESCRIPTION
CENTAUREA REDEMPTA subsp. REDEMPTA
Common Names:- None
Synonyms:- None
Meaning:- Centaurea (Gr) Centaur, Centauros. The centaur Chiron was cured of a
hoof wound with this plant.
Redempta (L) To redeem, redemtpion
Plant:- Robust perennial, branched from base or middle.
Stems:-
1) 30-70 cm tall, erect, simple or sparingly branched, with fine arachnoid hairs.
Leaves:-
1) Basal, oblong-oblanceolate in outline, sparsely pubescent, green, pinnatisect,
with 6-10 pairs of irregularly pinnatifid or lobed segments.
Flowers:-
1) Capitula solitary, large.
2) Involucre broadly ovoid to subglobose, 25-45 mm in diam.
3) Bracts, glabrescent.
4) Appendage of middle phyllaries brown to blackish, with pale lateral fimbriae and
a short apical spine.
5) Florets dark purple, the outer as long as the inner.
Fruit:-
1) Achenes c. 6 mm, densely sericeous.
2) Pappus, whitish, longer than the achene.
Key features:-
1) Appendage of middle phyllaries dark brown to blackish.
2) Florets deep brownish-red or reddish-purple.
Habitat:- Crevices of limestone cliffs, occasionally rocky places at the bases of
cliffs. 0-800 m.
Distribution:- Rare Cretan endemic, mainly in western Crete, but extends eastward
to a gorge near Kamares on the southern side of Psiloritis.
Flowering time:- End of Apr to mid-June.
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis and Lee Stephenson
Status:-
Conservation status (for threatened species): Rare (R) according to IUCN 1997
Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981
