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Centaurea melitensis

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Centaurea

napa thistle, yellow star thistle

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form:

Stems:

Roots: Roots a tap root.

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate or a rosette. Blades linear, oblanceolate, or oblong Apex acute or rounded. Base attenuate or decurent (extending down the petiole). Margins entire, lyrate pinnatifid, pinnately lobed, or serrate/dentate.

Flowers:

Fruit:

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Naturalized
Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Kaho'olawe Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean
Wind
Other Animals

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 917 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:286 (Ni, K, O, Mo, L, M, Ka, H); Nagata 2459 BISH (O†, 1982)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Centaurea melitensis Miki Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. 314 Lanai BISH 1928-04-25
2 Centaurea melitensis Honolulu; Near Kapiolani Park Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. Oahu BISH 1909-04-04
3 Centaurea melitensis Omaopio Preserved_Specimen Davis, C. Maui BISH 1956-03-28
4 Centaurea melitensis Below Cook's Place Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Molokai BISH
5 Centaurea melitensis Lanai City In fairly dry pineapple field Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 473 Lanai BISH 1931-07-23
6 Centaurea melitensis Haleakala Crater Dry grassy region Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 5587 Maui BISH 1927-08-09
7 Centaurea melitensis Haleakala Crater, 0.25 mile E of Puu Nole Weed by trail on dry cinders Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 21261 Maui BISH 1945-09-01
8 Centaurea melitensis Haaeleele Valley, near Mana Arid Lantana scrub region Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 2136 Kauai BISH 1926-06-13
9 Centaurea melitensis Waimanalo, along Kalanianaole Hwy Wayside herb in sandy soil Preserved_Specimen To 45 cm height Nagata, K.M. 2459 Oahu BISH 1982-05-10
10 Centaurea melitensis Ahumoa By abandoned radio facility Dry disturbed areas Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 5320 Hawaii BISH 1975-05-21
11 Centaurea melitensis Mahana, along Keomuku Road Dry exposed wasteland Preserved_Specimen Erect annual herb with yellow flowers Herbst, D.R. 5775 Lanai BISH 1976-03-30
12 Centaurea melitensis Mokouia Valley Weed by grass in opening in Prosopis grove Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. 23594 Niihau BISH 1949-03-30
13 Centaurea melitensis Waianae Mountains Ridge west of Awanui Gulch below Puu Manawahua Dry open flat Preserved_Specimen Fls. yellow Fosberg, F.R. 13811 Oahu BISH 1937-05-02
14 Centaurea melitensis NW part of Island, above Makaalae Point Occasional occurrence in Prosopis scrub Preserved_Specimen Tall herb, 2 ft. high; flowers yellow Cuddihy, L.W. 327 Kahoolawe BISH 1980-04-21
15 Centaurea melitensis West Maui Lahaina pali trail Disturbed cry lowland Preserved_Specimen Pale yellow ray flowers Welton, P. 1717 Maui BISH 1993-04-25
16 Centaurea melitensis Keomuku Road, along Arid scrub grasslands Preserved_Specimen Wayside herb. Flowers yellow Nagata, K.M. 3831 Lanai BISH 1988-03-08
17 Centaurea melitensis Mauna Kea, Puuneneakolu Patch roughly 50 square meters in dry habitat on west edge of pit crater, no other plants obvious nearby. Preserved_Specimen Less than 1 meter tall. Conant, P. Hawaii BISH 2006-07-13
18 Centaurea melitensis Waimea District Waimea canyon rim, between 3 & 4 mile marker HWY 550. Degraded Dodonaea viscosa shrubland with Lipchaeta connata, Spermolepis hawaiiensis, Bidens sandwicensis, Waltheria indica weeds: Panicum maximum, Leucaena leucocephala, Grevillea robusta, Hyptis Preserved_Specimen small weed about 1 ft ht with fruits Perlman, S. 23485 Kauai BISH 2013-05-28
19 Centaurea melitensis Koko Head Dry ridge Preserved_Specimen Flower yellow St.John, H. 11626 Oahu BISH 1932-04-18
20 Centaurea melitensis Hamakua District, Hawaii County. Along Alpha Trail just S of gate at Kipuka Alala North Fence Unit: north side of Alpha Trail. Myoporum shrubland. Disturbed site with large coarse rock (fill?). Preserved_Specimen Napa thistle, yellow star thistle. Naturalized. Foley, E.K. Hawaii BISH 2008-03-19
21 Centaurea melitensis Makua Valley Dry waste region Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 5584 Oahu BISH 1932-04-27
22 Centaurea melitensis Pohakuloa Training area Growing along the road. Preserved_Specimen Herb 3 ft. tall. Flowers yellow. Davis, J. 298 Hawaii BISH 1980-06-07
23 Centaurea melitensis NW part of Island, near Makaalae Point Occasionally in Prosopis scrub where ground cover is dominated by Chloris virgata Preserved_Specimen Herbaceous plant 1 ft. tall. Flowers yellow Cuddihy, L.W. 324 Kahoolawe BISH 1980-04-21
24 Centaurea melitensis Puu Papapa; Parker Ranch Dry pasture land Preserved_Specimen Ewart III, G.R. 255 Hawaii BISH 1932-06-16
25 Centaurea melitensis Honokoa Stream, near coast, stream bed under a dense Prosopis pallida stand Stream bed under a dense Prosopis pallida stand Preserved_Specimen Upright weed with yellow flowers Clarke, G. 365 Kahoolawe BISH 1980-04-21
26 Centaurea melitensis Manele, W Arid rocky slopes; Prosopis-Sida-Heteropogon association Preserved_Specimen Resinous-scented herb Nagata, K.M. 3825 Lanai BISH 1988-03-06
27 Centaurea melitensis Waimanalo Weed-covered sand-dunes Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 5586 Oahu BISH 1927-04-13
28 Centaurea melitensis S of Kilauea caldera, near Kipuka Nene Grassland Preserved_Specimen Annual; plant fragrant, flowers yellow. Only 1 small colony seen Fagerlund, G.O. 1047 Hawaii BISH 1945-04-26
29 Centaurea melitensis Aiea Preserved_Specimen Landgraf, M.F. Oahu BISH 1954-04-27
30 Centaurea melitensis Diamond Head Crater On trail at S rim Preserved_Specimen Fls. yellow St.John, H. 10540 Oahu BISH 1930-05-10
31 Centaurea melitensis Koele Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. 309 Lanai BISH 1914-05-04
32 Centaurea melitensis Puu Laau Road, just above Saddle Road Preserved_Specimen Fls yellow Herbst, D.R. Hawaii BISH 1985-06-25
33 Centaurea melitensis Koele Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 196 Lanai BISH 1913-06-01
34 Centaurea melitensis Central Plateau, Halelaau Preserved_Specimen Flowers yellow Greenwell, A.B.H. 21393 Hawaii BISH 1951-06-24
35 Centaurea melitensis Waikiki Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. 2287 Oahu BISH 1895-05-09
36 Centaurea melitensis Koele Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. 342 Lanai BISH 1914-05-04
37 Centaurea melitensis unknown Preserved_Specimen Lydgate, J.M. BISH
38 Centaurea melitensis Mahana West Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 10314 Molokai BISH 1910-03-01
39 Centaurea melitensis Hoolehua Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 8372 Molokai BISH 1928-04-04
40 Centaurea melitensis S slope of Haleakala, Lualailua Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 2026 Maui BISH 1920-05-19
41 Centaurea melitensis West Maui, Lahaina Pali Trail. Preserved_Specimen Hughes, G.D. 612 Maui BISH 1993-04-25
42 Centaurea melitensis Hamakuapoko Preserved_Specimen Agee, H.P. 44 Maui BISH 1923-05-14
43 Centaurea melitensis Hualalai summit Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 210 Hawaii BISH 1911-06-19
44 Centaurea melitensis Mahana West Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 10314 Molokai BISH 1910-03-01
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