Genus: Centaurea (cornflower genus)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid II > Family: Asteraceae > Tribe: Cynareae

About 450 species, found mainly in the Mediterranean region and the Near East. Five species have been introduced to southern Africa and are regarded as weeds. An additional six species are cultivated in the region.

Species naturalised in southern Africa

List from Plants of southern Africa - an online checklist (SANBI).

Centaurea calcitrapa
Centaurea cyanus (Cornflower, Bachelor's buttons) Native to Eurasia.
Centaurea melitensis Native to southern Europe.
Centaurea repens
Centaurea solstitialis

Other species, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002).