About Centaurea cineraria L.
Centaurea cineraria L. is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, commonly called velvet centaurea, and also known as dusty miller and silver dust. Note that the names dusty miller and silver dust are also used for Jacobaea maritima and Silene coronaria. This species is endemic to southern Italy. In its natural habitat, it grows on coastal cliffs at elevations between 0 and 350 meters above sea level; this habitat gives the plant its Italian name fiordaliso delle scogliere, which translates literally to "cliff cornflower". Mature Centaurea cineraria plants can grow up to 80 centimeters (31.5 inches) tall. This species produces purple flowers. Centaurea cineraria is taxonomically complex: it has multiple described subspecies and substantial geographic variation. Taxonomists have variously treated members of the C. cineraria group as full separate species, as subspecies of C. cineraria, or just as regional variations of the species.
