Centaurea nigra L.

Perennial. Stems erect, ribbed, simple or branched above, 30–75–(120) cm tall, glabrescent or sparsely hairy with scabrid, multicellular or appressed cobwebby hairs. Lvs not decurrent on stems, with short scabrid hairs; lower lvs narrowly oblanceolate, simple, dentate to pinnatifid, 10–30 × 1.5–3.5 cm, with triangular-oblong, apiculate lateral lobes; upper lvs pinnatifid or entire, becoming sessile, smaller. Capitula not clustered. Involucre globose, (9)–12–18 mm diam.; outer and middle bracts ovate to broadly elliptic or triangular, not or weakly veined, with cobwebby hairs; appendages erect to recurved, pectinate-fimbriate, covering bracts, membranous, conspicuously narrowed at junction of bract, not decurrent on bract; fimbriae 8–16 on each side, brown, 2.5–4 mm long. Florets pink to purple, the outer ± radiate. Corolla eglandular. Achenes c. 2.5–3.5 mm long, sparsely pubescent; pappus 0–0.5 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Oct.–May; Fruiting: Nov.–Jun.