Syn.: Pterocephalus bellidifolius Boiss., Pterocephalus epiroticus Contandr. et Quézel
Family: Dipsacaceae Juss.

Pterocephalus perennis subsp. bellidifolius

Distribution: Endemic to Albania, western and northwestern Greece. In Sterea Ellas (Central Greece) and Peloponnese replaced by P. perennis subsp. perennis.

Ecology: Rock crevices and rocky places on limestones and also other calcareous rocks, usually between (450–)800–2100 m. It flowers in July and August.

Pterocephalus perennis subsp. bellidifolius

Description: Perennial herb or subshrub with procumbent stems forming woody mats up to 20 cm tall. Leaves 2–7 × 0.5–2.5 cm, long-petiolate, blade obovate to oblong-lanceolate, entire or lyrate to pinnatisect with entire to crenate lobes; green, subglabrous or sparsely hairy along the veins beneath and at margins. Peduncules equaling or slightly exceeding leaves. Capitula hemispherical or flattened; marginal flowers radiant. Involucral bracts 7–15 mm, shorter than flowers, lanceolate, herbaceous, sparsely pubescent. Calyx stipitate with 10–17(–18) setae 10–13 mm long. Corola 12–22 mm. Involucel 3–5 mm in fruit, sulcate, densely sericeous.

Note: Some authors include the genus Pterocephalus into the broadly defined genus Scabiosa.

Pterocephalus perennis subsp. bellidifolius
Pterocephalus perennis subsp. bellidifolius
Pterocephalus perennis subsp. bellidifolius

These images were taken in Albania, Mali i Nemërçkës (5. 7. 2013).