Rhaponticum scariosum
| Rhaponticum scariosum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Flower of Rhaponticum scariosum | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Rhaponticum |
| Species: | R. scariosum
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| Binomial name | |
| Rhaponticum scariosum | |
Rhaponticum scariosum, common name giant scabiosa, is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant of the genus Rhaponticum of the family Asteraceae.
Description[edit]
The biological form of Rhaponticum scariosum is hemicryptophyte scapose,[1] as its overwintering buds are situated just below the soil surface and the floral axis is more or less erect with a few leaves.
Rhaponticum scariosum reaches on average 30–150 centimetres (12–59 in) in height.[1] The strong, thick, upright stem is leafy and hairy, woolly-tomentose and usually has only one inflorescence. The leaves are green, while its underside is white-tomentose,[1] with irregularly toothed edges. The basal leaves are heart-shaped and petiolated, about 30–40 centimetres (12–16 in) long, the upper leaves are smaller, lanceolate, about 10–22 centimetres (3.9–8.7 in) long.[1] The flower heads are pink to purple, spherical and very large (about 6–7 centimetres (2.4–2.8 in) in diameter).[1] The bracts are brownish and scarious. The flowering period extends from June to August.The flowers are hermaphroditic and are pollinated by insects. The fruits are brown achenes.
Distribution[edit]
This quite rare plant occurs in Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia.
Habitat[edit]
It grows in sub-alpine and alpine meadows, stony slopes and thickets. This plant prefers slightly moist and mostly calcareous soils, at altitudes from 750 to 2500 meters.[1]
Gallery[edit]
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Plant of Rhaponticum scariosum -
Rhaponticum scariosum ssp rhaponticum -
Leaves of Rhaponticum scariosum
Synonyms[edit]
- Centaurea rhapontica L., Sp. Pl. 2: 915. 1753.
- Centaurea scariosa (Lam.) Rouy, Fl. France 9: 114. 1905.
- Leuzea rhapontica (L.) Holub, Folia Geobot. Phytotax. (Praha) 8:392. 1973.
- Rhapontica rhapontica Hill, Hort. Kew. 69. 1768, nom. illeg.
- Rhaponticum rhaponticum (L.) Voss, Vilm. Blumengärtn., ed. 3. 1: 554. 1894, nom. illeg.
- Serratula rhapontica (L.) DC., Fl. Franc. (Candolle & Lamarck), ed. 3. 4: 87. 1805.
- Stemmacantha rhapontica (L.) Dittrich, Candollea 39(1): 49. 1984.
- Rhaponticum scariosum subsp. lamarckii (Dittrich) Greuter, Willdenowia 33(1): 61. 2003.
- Stemmacantha rhapontica subsp. lamarckii Dittrich, Candollea 39: 49. 1984, nom. illeg.[2][3]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia – Edagricole – 1982. Vol. III, pag. 173
- ^ Synonyms in Compositae
- ^ Synonyms in Wikispecies
- Josef Holub - Contribution to the taxonomy and nomenclature of Leuzea DC. and Rhaponticum auct - Folia Geobotanica - Vol. 1 / 1966 - Vol. 46 / 2011
- Leuzea rhapontica
- Hidalgo, O & al. 2006. Phylogeny of Rhaponticum (Asteraceae, Cardueae–Centaureinae) and Related Genera Inferred from Nuclear and Chloroplast DNA Sequence Data