Centaurea debeauxii
Asteraceae
Chalk Knapweed, Lesser Knapweed
June to September
It is found mainly in central and southern counties.
See the BSBI distribution map for Slender Knapweed
It grows in meadows and pastures, scrub, on sea-cliffs and
wasteland, on light soils.
Slender Knapweed is a perennial, native herb, growing up
to 50cm.
Flowerheads are rayed and up to 4 cm across.
Florets are pale, pink-purple.
The bracts of the ovoid to spherical head are triangular and
partly obscured by the bract appendages.
The stem just below the head is only slightly, if at all,
swollen (cf. subsp. nigra).
Leaves are narrowly lanceolate and tend to get smaller and
more entire up the stem.
Lower leaves have a wavy outline and in some cases are
variously pinnatifid (large teeth-shaped lobes).
Stems are branched and erect.
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Next page: Slender St. John's-wort
Slender Knapweed, Corscombe, Dorset
Closer view of clump - branched stem
Side view of flower-heads
Flowerhead from above
Flower-head from side - no swollen stem
Bracts and bract appendages
Stem leaves
Sinuate lower leaves
White sport
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