Author: آمنه غلامی 
Centaurea irritans Wagenitz.
Parvin Salehi Shanjani, Leila Rasoulzadeh, Nastaran Jalilian and Habibullah Rahimi
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at October 2025
Scientific editor: Masoumeh Izadpanah
Seed Storage
The storage behavior of this species is orthodox (desiccation-tolerant seeds), dry to 15-20% eRH, and store at -20°C.
Germination requirements
The seeds of this species are not dormant. Sterilize seeds before placing them on wet germination paper. Place seeds for two weeks at 4 ºC to germinate uniformly. Then germinate under an alternating temperature regime of 15/20 ºC (the higher temperature for 16 hours in light and the lower one for eight hours in dark).
Morphology
Fruit type: Achene
Fruit shape: Sub-cylindrical or slightly obconic, compressed laterally, apex truncate, pappus cream-colored, longer than the achene, outer bristles longer than interior, hilum sub-lateral. Surface pubescent, dull, with longitudinal faint striate, cream-colored
Fruit size: Length 3.72 to 4.19 mm, width 1.40 to 2.21 mm in an accession from Paveh Baingan route, Kermanshah, with 1000 seed/fruit weight 6.1 g, which was collected and identified in 2017 by Nastaran Jalilian and Habibullah Rahimi, and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with the accession number 46654
1000 seed/fruit weight: 6 to 20 g
Biological features
Life form: Subshrub, perennial, more or less pubescent. Stems branched from the base, erect, 30 to 60 cm long
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescences solitary capitate, capitulum barely radiate (disc-ray); florets red to pink; involucre oblong to cylindrical, involucral bracts multiseriate, involucral bracts arrangement free. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects.
Time of flowering: Late spring to mid-summer
Time of fruit/seed ripening: Late spring to mid-summer
Fruit/seed dispersal methods: The agent of seed distribution is animals and seed weight.
Geographical distribution: Iran and Iraq. Typus from Biston, Kermanshah
Distribution in Iran: West and southwest. Mostly in provinces Kermanshah and Ilam
Taxonomy
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Centaurea
Species: C. irritans
Persian name: Golegandom-e darham barham
References and Links
Black, M. and Bewley, J.D. 2000. Seed technology and its biological basis. Sheffield Academic Press, 1-419 pp.
Bojňanský, V. and Fargašová, A. 2007. Atlas of seeds and fruits of central and East-European flora: the Carpathian Mountains region. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 1046 pp.
Ghahraman, A. Flore of Iran. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands with University of Tehran Publication. https://floraofiran.net/index.php.
Mozaffarian, V.A. 1998. Dictionary of Iranian plants names. Farhange Moaser Publisher, Tehran, 671 pp.
Mozaffarian, V.A. 2012. A Pictorial dictionary of botany. Farhange Moaser Publisher, Tehran, 1088 pp.
Mozaffarian, V., Ghahremaninejad, F., Narimisa, S., Kazempour-Osaloo, Sh., Jafari, E., Lotfi, E. Assadi, M. 2018. Flora of Iran, Asteraceae. Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, Publication No. 144, 1023 pp.
Ranjbar, M. and Negaresh, K. 2014. The genus Centaurea (Asteraceae, cardueae) in Iran: Two new species and a lectotypification. Edinburgh Journal of Botany, 71: 51-56.
Sharma, O.P. 2009. Plant taxonomy 2E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi, 563 pp.
