| purple starthistle | USDA PLANTS Symbol: CECA2 U.S. Nativity: Exotic Habit: Forbs/Herbs |
| Centaurea calcitrapa L. |
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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Asterales: Asteraceae |
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| Synonym(s): red starthistle | |
| Native Range: Africa, temp. Asia, Europe (GRIN); | |
Purple starthistle is a biennial to perennial plant. It grows 2 to 3 ft. (0.6-0.9 m) tall. The stems and leaves are covered with fine hairs. Lower and basal leaves are divided or deeply lobed. Leaves become less divided toward the apex of the plant. Flowering occurs from July to October, when purple to pink blooms develop at the ends of the stems. Floral bracts are tipped with 1 in. (2.5 cm) long, straw colored spines. A native of southern Europe, purple starthistle produces prolific seeds and often invades floodplains, dry forests and grasslands. This plant is common in many western states and may occasionally be found in some Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic States. |
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| Selected Images from Invasive.org | View All Images at Invasive.org |
 Plant(s); Barry Rice, sarracenia.com, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Barry Rice, sarracenia.com, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Rosette Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Barry Rice, sarracenia.com, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Malcolm Storey, BioImages - Virtual Field-Guide, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Sharp spines Barry Rice, sarracenia.com, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Fruit(s); Barry Rice, sarracenia.com, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Fruit(s); Fruits aligned with the stylar end at the top. D. Walters and C. Southwick, CPHST, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Fruit(s); Close-up. D. Walters and C. Southwick, CPHST, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
| EDDMapS Distribution: This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts and records obtained from USDA Plants Database. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org Alternative content
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 State(s) Where Reported invasive. Based on state level agency and organization lists of invasive plants from WeedUS database. Alternative content
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