Our understanding of the potential mechanisms driving the spread and naturalization of alien plant species has increased over the past decades, but specific knowledge on the factors contributing to their increased impact in the introduced range is still urgently needed. The native European plant Centaurea stoebe occurs as two cytotypes with different life histories (monocarpic diploids, allo-po...

The species of Asteraceae have been found to be a rich source of externally accumulated flavonoid aglycones. This type of compounds attracts the attention, besides for their importance as chemotaxonomic markers, also for their ecological role. In the present study, two local endemic species, Centaurea davidovii and C. parilica, and one widespread species from the same group, C. stenolepis, are ...

Specimens of the knapweed nematode Subanguina picridis (Kirjanova) Brzeski obtained from different host plants were highly variable in measurement and structure. This variability refutes the validity of six Subanguina species attacking plants in the Asteraceae.

A taxonomic account of the Centaurea parlatoris complex (Asteraceae), endemic to Sicily, is presented. This includes six taxa, three described in 19th century (C. parlatoris, C. var. tomentosa and virescens) recently sicana, giardinae heywoodiana). Starting from designation types for oldest plant names that have not been typified yet, considerations are formulated virescens elevated rank specie...