Centaurea melitensis L.

Family: Asteraceae
Flowering Time: Mar-May.

General Appearance

Centaurea melitensis L., it is an annual or biennial species. Stems up to 85 cm or more tall, erect, sparsely branched in their upper half, and winged towards the apex. Leaves green, with scabrous margins. The lower ones petiolate, lanceolate, lyrate-pinnatifid to sinuously lobed. The cauline leaves sessile, decurrent. The upper ones linear-lanceolate. Flower heads solitary or in groups of 2–5. Involucre ovoid-globose. Involucral bracts with a loose arachnoid indumentum. The outer and middle ones ovate-lanceolate with short, non-decurrent appendages, each bearing a spreading terminal spine and 1-3 short, widely spaced lateral spines on each side. Flowers yellow. Pappus scabrous, approximately the same size as the achene. Achenes pale beige, c. 2.5 mm long, oblong, somewhat compressed, with up to 12 ribs; basal-lateral insertion scar, concave, ivory-white. Surface sparsely hairy, somewhat lustrous, delicately areolate-reticulated.

Life Form

Th

Phytochoria

MED. The native range of this species is Macaronesia, Medit.

Distribution in Libya

Zliten-Misurata Plain:

Kaam area 2005

Jabal Nafusa:

Reported from Gharian, Yefren by Durand & Barratte  (22 km) W. of Khoms 1967  Msallata National Park (Shaafeen) 2013   Msallata-Garaboulli Province 2020

Al-Jabal Al-Akhder:

Reported from Derna by Durand & Barratte  Wadi Zaza 2003

Marmarica Plateau:

Reported in Marmarica north-eastern part of Libya by Pampanini 1930  From Tobruk to Egyptian Border 1999

Bibliographic References

First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan:

Jafri, S. M. H. & El-Gadi, A. (1983) Flora of Libya, Asteraceae Vol. (107) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya.

Second: Researches and PhD theses, master theses, Sorted by Newest:

Saaed, M.W.B., EL-Barasi, Y.M. & Rahil, R.O. (2021) An updated checklist and quantitative analysis of the Marmarica Plateau flora, in the north-eastern part of Libya. Phytotaxa 509 (1): 001-055. https://phytotaxa.mapress.com/pt/article/view/phytotaxa.509.1.1

An-updated-checklist-and-quantitative-analysis-of-the-Marmarica-Plateau-flora-مضغوط

Mahklouf, M.H., Sherif, A.S., Betelmal, A.G. (2020) Floristic Study and Species Diversity of Msallata-Garaboulli Province in Libya. J. of Advanced Botany and Zoology Volume 7 / Issue 3 ISSN: 2348-7313. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohammed-Mahklouf, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341306643_Floristic_Study_and_Species_Diverisy_of_Msallata-Garaboulli_Province_in_Libya

Floristic Study and Species Diverisy of Msallata-Garaboulli Province. 2020

Al-Masalati, N. A. A. (2013) Plant diversity across the altitudes of the Msallata National Park Reserve Mountains. Master Thesis. Botany Department-College of Science-University of Benghazi-Libya. (In Arabic).

Al-Shif, N. S. (2005) a taxonomic study of the plants of the Kaam region. Master Thesis, College of Science, Al-Marqab University, Al-Khums, Libya. (In Arabic).

El-Barasi, Y. M., EI-Sherif, l. M. & Gawhari, A. M. H. (2003) Checklist and analysis of the flora and vegetation of Wadi Zaza at AI-Jabal AI Akhdar (Cyrenaica, Libya). Bocconea 16 (2): 1091-1105. 2003. – ISSN 1120-4060. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ahmed-Gawhari,  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281559070_Checklist_and_analysis_of_the_flora_and_vegetation_of_Wadi_Zaza_at_AI-Jabal_AI_Akhdar_Cyrenaica_Libya

Flora and vegetation of Wadi Zaza at Al-Jabal AI Akhdar 2003-مضغوط

EL-Habony, A.M. (1999) Vegetation and flora of a sector along Mediterranean cost of Libya from Tobruk to Egyptian border, M.Sc. Thesis, Botany Department-Faculty of Science-Garyounis University, Benghazi, Libya. (in Arabic).

 

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