Centaurea aeolica, Gussone ex Lojacono, 1903

Brullo, Salvatore, Cambria, Salvatore, Crisafulli, Alessandro, Tavilla, Gianmarco & Sciandrello, Saverio, 2021, Taxonomic remarks on the Centaurea aeolica (Asteraceae) species complex, Phytotaxa 483 (1), pp. 9-24 : 21

Key to the species of the Centaurea aeolica group

1. Basal leaves usually lyrate, with lacinia apex obtuse to rounded, phyllaries pale brown with blackish apex, with 1 to 2–5 teeth..... ....................................................................................................................................................................................... C. pandataria

– Basal leaves 1–2-pinnatisect, never lyrate, with lacinia apex acute, phyllaries whitish to straw-coloured, with 7–15 teeth or fimbriae...............................................................................................................................................................................................2

2. Tomentum greenish-grey, leaves 1–2-pinnatisect, with laciniae loosely inserted, phyllaries 7-nerved, appendages denticulate with teeth 0.05–0.3 mm long....................................................................................................................................................... C. aeolica

– Tomentum whitish-grey, leaves 1-pinnatisect (rarely 2-pinnatisect), with laciniae densely inserted, phyllaries 5-nerved, appendages fimbriate with fimbriae up to 1.5 mm long ................................................................................................................... C. phalacrica