Centaurea daralagoezica (Fomin) Greuter (2003a: 54)

Ranjbar, Massoud & Negaresh, Kazem, 2013, A revision of Centaurea sect. Phaeopappus (Asteraceae, Cardueae), Phytotaxa 123 (1), pp. 1-40 : 11-14

4. Centaurea daralagoezica (Fomin) Greuter (2003a: 54) . Fig. 5 .

Basionym: Phaeopappus daralagoezicus Fomin (1908: 282) . Tomanthea daralagoezica (Fomin) Takhtajan (1939: 242) . Type: ARMENIA. Daralagez, between Kusha and Gerger villages, 29 July 1905, Schelkovnikov, Kaznakov & Schmidt s.n. (holotype TGM).

Perennial with woody rhizome, usually completely greenish, 30–40 cm tall; collum covered with abundant brown fibrous remains of petioles of previous year. Stem erect to ascending, branched often at the base or near base, branches unequal, rigid, densely leafy in median part. Leaves and stem ± loosely pubescent. Basal and lower leaves distinctly large, 12–15 cm long, pinnatipartite to pinnatisect, sometimes interrupted, segments in 10–15 pairs, narrowly lanceolate-elliptic or linear or linear-lanceolate, rarely segments pinnatifid, acuminate at apex. Median cauline leaves sessile, 7–11 cm long, pinnatisect, segments in 4–8 pairs, linear or linearlanceolate, acuminate at apex. Upper cauline leaves smaller, sessile, pinnatisect or pinnatifid or undivided, 2–7 cm long, linear or linear-lanceolate, sometimes falcate-curvate, acuminate or mucronate at apex, almost shorter than capitula. Capitula 2–5 on peduncles 5–10 mm long, solitary at end of branches; involucres ovoid, 27–32 × 21–30 mm. Phyllaries multiseriate, imbricate, coriaceous, yellowish, glabrous and smooth. Outer phyllaries ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 5.5–7 × 5–6 mm; appendages 10–11.5 × ca. 5 mm (cilia and spine included). Median phyllaries broadly lanceolate, 8.5–13 × ca. 7 mm; appendages 9–17 × 4.7–11 mm (cilia and spine included). Inner phyllaries oblong or oblong-linear, median in upper parts reddish, ca. 15.5–16 × 5–7 mm; appendages 3.2–8 × 2–3(–4.5) mm (cilia and spine included). Appendages concealing a major part of phyllaries, broadly triangular-ovate, blackish in central part, sometimes shortly decurrent on crenate margins; cilia whitish, distinct, subreflexed, numerous, 7–15 on each side, 2–5 mm long; spine brownish or blackish, (3–) 4–8 mm long, longer than the nearest cilia. Flowers dark wine-red; central florets hermaphrodite, 26–28 mm long, corolla 10–12 mm long, 5-lobed, lobes equal; peripheral florets sterile, finely dissected, 3-5-lobed, limb lobes filiform. Mature achenes unknown; pappus multiseriate, scabrous, persistent, brown, 18–20 mm long.

Taxonomic and distributional remarks: — Centaurea daralagoezica occurs in S Transcaucasia and Armenia. It is known from xeric-steppe phytocoenoses in mid-montane zone. Centaurea daralagoezica grows on dry stony slopes, at elevations of 1500–2000 m. It shows a close relationship with C. assadii .

Chromosome numbers: —Unknown.

Selected specimens examined:— ARMENIA. Mikoian district, Shatyn x Getap village , 18 June 1957, Avetisian et al. s.n. ( W!) ; Mikoian district, Shatyn x Getap village , Avetisian et al. s.n. ( W!) ; Echegnadzor, Ripa sinistra fl. Arpa , 3 km ad austro-occidentem a pag. Echegnadzor , 7 July 1957, Tzvelev & Czerepanov 4393 ( W!) ; Ekhegnadzar district, phyranous, surroundings of Gnishik , 20 July 1950, Agababian s.n. ( W!) ; Azizbekov district, riverbed of Terpchai , 22 June 1957, Avetisian s.n. ( W!) ; gorge of middel reaches of river Arpa, south-east the village Mochkishka , 6 July 1946, Dolukhanov s.n. ( W!) . Prov. Ararat: crest of the mountain ridge Urts , 2000 m, 9 July 1986, Gabrielian s.n. ( W!) ; district Vedin, between the Shagaplu and Karakhach villages, 10 July 1954, Akhverdov s.n. ( W!) .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Centaurea daralagoezica (Fomin) Greuter (Avetisian et al. s.n., W). A. flowers. B. close up of capitule. C. habit. D. outer phyllary. E and F. median phyllaries. G?I. inner phyllaries. Scale A and D–I = 1 cm, B and C = 2 cm.