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- Centaurea phrygia
Centaurea phrygia — wig knapweed
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Facts
Wig knapweed is native to Europe and an occasional introduction in North America.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Vermont
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers
- Ray flower color
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
-
- NA
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 30–150 mm
-
Flowers
- Bract color
- the bracts are not colored or tinged with pink, red or purple
- Bract cycle number
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- Bract outer side hair type
-
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces, with curled, tangled, matted, or woolly hairs
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract shape
-
- the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
- the main bracts are orbicular (roughly circular)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract tip color
- the tips are a different color from the center of the bract
- Bract tip extension appearance
- the projections from the bract tips have further projections from their edges, like a fringe
- Bract tip extension edge
- there are projections from the bract tips
- Bract tip orientation
- the tips of the bracts curve outwards and downwards from the plant
- Bracts
- there are at least two distinct forms of bracts in different cycles
- Disk flower color
-
- blue to purple
- pink to red
- white
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Flower head number
- each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, the flowers have no enlarged lobe or strap, and are of similar size as those in the center of the disk
- Flower head platform
- the base has fine, short hairs on it
- Flower head platform surface
- NA
- Flower head position
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
- Flower head profile
- the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- Flower head shape
-
- the flower head is hemispherical (like the bottom half of a sphere)
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers
- Height of flower head base
- 15–20 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
- NA
- Ovary attachment
- the ovary is attached at the side near the base, rather than at the base
- Ovary beak
- there is no beak on the ovary
- Ovary cross-section
-
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has hairs on it, but the hairs have no glands
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has hairs on it
- Ovary profile
-
- in profile, the ovary is oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
- in profile, the ovary is roughly elliptical (widest in the middle, tapering to both ends)
- Ray flower color
- NA
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Ray flowers
- 0
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers on the plant contain both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is no smaller, outer cycle of bracts
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Width of flower head base
- 10–20 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 3–4 mm
- Seed hair tuft length
- 0–2 mm
- Seed tuft type
-
- the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
- there is no pappus on the ovary
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
-
- NA
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
-
Glands or sap
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
-
Leaves
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is rounded
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has tangled or woolly-looking hairs
- Leaf blade length
- 30–150 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
Wetland status
Not classified
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
None
Native to North America?
No
Synonyms
- Centaurea austriaca Willd.
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
10. Centaurea phrygia L. E
wig knapweed. Centaurea austriaca Willd. • VT. Roadsides, fields, waste areas.