Common name
German: Kugelkopf-Flockenblume
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae (2635)
Phylum: Tracheophyta (2573)
Class: Magnoliopsida (2146)
Order: Asterales (237)
Family: Asteraceae (221)(family description)
Genus: Centaurea (15)
Epithet: sphaerocephala J.Gav ex Durieu (2)
Subspecies: sphaerocephala
Synonyms: Calcitrapoides sphaerocephala (L.) Holub, Centaurea caespitosa Cirillo, Centaurea corsica Gand., Centaurea fontanesii (Spach) Spach ex Durieu, Centaurea ixodes Pomel, Centaurea linnaeana Walp., Centaurea pterocaulos Pomel
caespitosa => growing in dense tufts
corsica => from Corsica, France
fontanesii => in honor of René Louiche Desfontaines (1750–1833), French botanist
ixodes => like bird-lime, sticky, clammy
linnaeana => named in honor of Carl von Linné, 18th century Swedish botanist often referred to as the father of modern taxonomy
pterocaulos => winged stem
sphaerocephala => round-headed
Characteristics
Climate: sub-tropical
Habitat: xerophytic
Habit: herb
Flower colour: purple, violet, white
