Malta Starthistle

Malta Starthistle

Centaurea melitensis L.

Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

▲ ▼ seedling and first year rosettes

▲ closer view of hairy leaves

▲ ▼ mature plants, before flowering

▲ ▼ leafy wings on stems

▲ ▼ mature, flowering plants

▲ ▼ inflorescences/flowers

▲ infloreescence after flowering

▲ ▼ dried plant after flowering

▲ ▼ dried inflorescences and pappus (hairs, "parachutes") attached to seed

Centaurea melitensis L., Maltese Starthistle: (Bayer Code: CENME; US Code CEME2)

Annual or biennial warm-weather weed from the Mediterranean region
First produces a rosette of lobed, lanceolate leaves
Then produces numerous, branching flowering stems that are hairy and have hairy leaves and leafy (not spiny) wings
Inflorescence is a 0.5 to 1 inch diameter head inflorescence, with yellow ray flowers and many spiny bracts surrounding the base of the inflorescence; the spines are 0.25 to 0.5 inches long
Common in southwestern U.S., not as widespread as similar yellow starthistle and not in Missouri, yet
Similar yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) has slightly larger heads, with longer spines (about 0.5 to 1 inch) arising from bracts below inflorescence

(Posted January 19, 2019)