Determined according to the botanical keys provided by Gajić in Josifović (1975), Dostál in Tutin et al. (1976) and Koutecký (2007) – the taxon is variously accepted at subspecific level or considered a separate species (Centaureastenolepis A. Kern., Österr. Bot. Z. 22: 45. 1872). In The Euro+Med PlantBase (source: Greuter, 2006+) it is given a subspecific rank – Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis (A. Kern.) Gugler in Ann. Hist.-Nat. Mus. Natl. Hung. 6: 168. 1907.
Lifeform: Perennial; Hemicryptophyte according to the Raunkiær system.
Distribution: Native from Italy and Central Europe to Ukraine and Turkey according to the distribution information provided by the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) and The Euro+Med PlantBase (source: Greuter, 2006+).
Habitat: Clearings of oak forests. Found at elevation of c. 900 m.
Flowering period: Summer: JUL, AUG.
Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – habit. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – habit. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – habit. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – habit. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – habit. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – upper part of stem with capitula. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – upper part of stem with capitula. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – upper part of stem with capitula. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – upper part of stem with capitula. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – upper part of stem with capitula. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – capitulum. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – capitulum. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – capitula. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – capitulum and upper cauline leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – upper cauline leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – upper cauline leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – stem with middle leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – stem with lower and middle cauline leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – stem with lower cauline leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – stem with lower cauline leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – plant base. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – basal leaves. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – abaxial side of leaf. Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis – achenes. Scale in mm. Specimen from Osogovo, mountain ridge between lake “Gradche” and the gorge of “Orizarska” River, 08.08.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
References:
Centaurea L. Dostál, J. in Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M. & Webb, D.A. (1976). Flora Europaea. Volume 4: Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 254 – 301.
Centaurea phrygia subsp. stenolepis. Greuter, W. (2006+): Compositae (pro parte majore). – In: Greuter, W. & Raab-Straube, E. von (ed.): Compositae. Euro+Med Plantbase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published on the Internet https://europlusmed.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/78d83bcd-272f-4749-b1af-8b5d3733f2b5 [Accessed 14.10.2022].
