Centaurea zlatiborensis (Asteraceae, Cardueae−Centaureinae), a new endemic species from Zlatibor mountain range, Serbia

Abstract

A new species of Centaurea sect. Acrocentron (Cass.) DC. (Asteraceae) found growing in dry, steppe‐like habitats on the Zlatibor mountain in western Serbia is described as Centaurea zlatiborensis. This novelity is compared with all other species of C. sect. Acrocentron known from Serbia and a diagnistic key to these is provided. Centaurea zlatiborensis is morphologically close to C. calocephala Willd. but the stems are simple or sparsely branched with monocephalous branches and itis generally smaller in all plant parts. The most important difference is the appendage morphology where C. zlatiborenis has triangular, dark brown appendages with short fimbriae and appendages not completely covering the bracts.