TABLE 1 in A new species of Centaurea sect. Acrocentron (Asteraceae, Cardueae) from Iran

TABLE 1. Diagnostic morphological characters of Centaurea serowensis, C. lydia, C. bojnordensis and C. urvillei subsp. deinacantha.
C. serowensisC. lydiaC. bojnordensisC. urvillei subsp. deinacanthaHabitdwarf, 1–4 cm height10–35(–45) cm heightdwarf, ca. 5 cm height(10–)20–35 cm heightStemsstriate, simple or branched in basal partsulcate, branched from near base with branches as long as or slightly longer than main stemstriate, almost branched in the lower to upper partssulcate in the lower part, branched from near the base with several one-headed branches about as long as the main stemStems, induemntumdensely arachnoidlower part densely tomentose, other parts ± loosely tomentosedensely floccose- tomentoseslightly arachnoid to distinctly tomentoseLeaves, induemntumloosely arachnoidsubglabrous, scabrous, ± tomentose especially on upper sideabove loosely floccose- tomentose, below sparsely pilose-articulateslightly arachnoid to distinctly tomentoseBasal and lower cauline leaves, length (cm)ca. 5–610–15(–30)ca. 3.5–4(10–)15–20Terminal segment of basal and lower cauline leaves3–4 × 1.8–2 cm, coarsely tooted at margins2–3.5 × 2–3 cm, denticulate at margins2–3 × 1–1.5 cm, smooth or denticulate at margins4–6 × 3–5 cm, denticulate or dentate at marginsInvolucres, shapeovoidgloboseovoidsubgloboseInvolucres, size (mm)15–20(–25) × (12–)15–2025–35 × 22–35ca. 18 × 12–13(30–)35–40(–45) × 30–35Phyllaries indumentumloosely arachnoidglabrescentglabrescentglabrescentMedian phyllaries, length (mm)6–1015–204.5–815–20Inner phyllaries, length (mm)10–1320–2811–1220–32Appenadgesmedium-sized, concealing partly of phyllaries only, straw-coloured or light brownlarge, totally concealing the phyllaries, straw-colouredmedium-sized, concealing minor part of phyllaries, brownlarge, concealing major part of phyllaries, straw-coloured or light brownMedian appendages, shapetriangularorbiculartriangularelongate triangularMedian appendages, length (mm)8–1520–35(–40)10–1625–45Median appendages (cilia excluded), width (mm)2–48–121–2.56–9Spine (in middle appendages), length (mm)5–815–30(–35)8–1220–30(–40)Cilia length (mm)(1–)2–43–71–2.5(–3)5–7Bristle of receptacle, length (mm)10–1215–206–1015–20Central floret, length (mm)25–2732–35ca. 2440–45Lobes of peripheral floret, length (mm)5–68–104–510–12Achenes, length (mm)4.2–4.8ca. 53.8–46–7Pappus8–9 mm long, bristles of inner rows ca. 2.5 mm long8–12(–14.5) mm long, bristles of inner rows ca. 2.5 mm long6–6.2 mm long, bristles of inner rows 2–2.5 mm long(8–)9–14 mm long, bristles of inner rows 3–4.5 mm long