Typification of the Linnaean name Centaurea crocodylium (Asteraceae)

Abstract

Centaurea crocodylium Linnaeus (1753: 919) is found in Mediterranean woodlands and shrublands, in Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Israel and Lebanon (see Greuter 2006 onwards), and is currently sometimes accepted under the illegitimate name Crocodylium syriacum Cass. in Cuvier (1819: 19, as Crocodilium syriacum) (see Garcia-Jacas et al. 2001; Font et al. 2002; Wang et al. 2013), the correct name for which is Crocodilium crocodylium (Linnaeus 1753: 919) Hill (1769: 63). This species is an annual plant with the simple, entire basal leaves and the upper leaves pinnatisect with 2–3 pairs of lateral segments and larger terminal segment with dentate margine, long-pedunculate capitula and bracts with hyaline appendages and ending in simple spines.