Centaurea aspera L.

Annual or biennial to 0.6 m high. Stems with adpressed arachnoid hairs, becoming glabrous; wings absent. Cauline leaves narrowly ovate to linear, pinnatifid (lower) to entire (upper), green to grey-green above and below, with sparse scabrid and arachnoid hairs; sessile glands present. Capitula solitary, pedunculate; involucre cylindrical to ovoid, 8–10 mm diam. at anthesis; median involucral bracts elliptic to ovate, 5–8 mm long, 2.5–3.5 mm wide, glabrous; appendages comprising 3–5 straight, patent, pungent spines, each 1.5–3 mm long. Florets pink to mauve; inner (fertile) florets with tube 10–12 mm long, glandular, and lobes 4–4.5 mm long; sterile florets c. same length as fertile florets. Anthers 6.5–7.5 mm long. Achenes ellipsoid, 3.8–4.3 mm long, glabrous, streaked brown and grey. Longest pappus bristles 0.8–1.5 mm long, white.

One specimen includes the note that it grows mainly on limestone.

The flowers are peeled and stewed. The leaves are used to make a drink.