Plectocephalus americanus

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Campanulids
Ordo: Asterales

Familia: Asteraceae
Subfamilia: Carduoideae
Tribus: Cardueae
Subtribus: Centaureinae
Genus: Plectocephalus
Species: Plectocephalus americanus
Name

Plectocephalus americanus (Nutt.) D.Don, 1830.
Synonyms

Calcitrapa patibilcensis Kunth
Centaurea americana Nutt.
Centaurea grandiflora Moc. & Sesse ex DC.
Centaurea mexicana DC.
Centaurea nuttallii Spreng.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental:Northern America
USA (Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas), Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Sonora, Tamaulipas)

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References

Don, D. in Sweet, R. 1830. Brit. Fl. Gard., ser. 2. 1: plate 51.

Links

Hassler, M. 2018. Plectocephalus americanus. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2018. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 May 15. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2018. Plectocephalus americanus. Published online. Accessed: May 15 2018.
The Plant List 2013. Plectocephalus americanus in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 May 15.
eFloras 2008. Plectocephalus americanus in Flora of North America . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Euro+Med 2006 onwards: Plectocephalus americanus in Euro+Med PlantBase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2011 Sept 15. As Centaurea americana Nutt.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Plectocephalus americanus in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 07-Oct-06.

Vernacular names
English: American starthistle, American basketflower
slovenčina: nevädza americká

Centaurea americana, commonly called American starthistle or American basketflower, is an annual[1] native to the southern central United States and northeastern Mexico.[2] Its common name comes from the underside of the inflorescence, which has a basket weave pattern on it and on the flowerbuds.

The pink petals look somewhat like a thistle with a cream colored center. Blooms are 4" in diameter and are held from May until June. The plant can reach 5-6' tall and has rough 4" long lance-shaped leaves.
Flower bud showing basketwork appearance

The plant is often cultivated for its showy flowers, and can sometimes be found outside its native range as an escape from cultivation.[2]
References

"Plectocephalus". Flora of North America.
"Plectocephalus americanus". Flora of North America.