Spotted Knapweed

Centaurea stoebe

"Centaurea stoebe" is a species of Centaurea found in Northern Italy. It is also an invasive species in the United States, and particularly widespread in dryer regions of the Pacific Northwest.
Spotted knapweed - Centaurea stoebe subsp. micranthos https://www.jungledragon.com/image/71065/spotted_knapweed_-_centaurea_stoebe_ssp._micranthos.html Asteraceae,Asterales,Centaurea stoebe,Centaurea stoebe subsp. micranthos,Eudicot,Flowering Plant,Geotagged,Greece,Magnoliophyta,Nature,Plantae,Spotted knapweed,Spring,Wildlife

Appearance

This species along with "Centaurea diffusa" are the stereotypical "tumbleweed" of the West- breaking off at the top of the roots which facilitates its seeds spreading far and wide, but arean't actually native to the North American continent, but to a similar dry climate in the Mediterranean.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassEudicots
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusCentaurea
SpeciesC. stoebe