A new species of Centaurea (sect. Phalolepis, Compositae:: Cardueae) from eastern Peloponnisos, Greece

A new species of Centaurea L., Centaurea leonidia Kalpoutz. & Constantin., from two localities west and southwest of the town of Leonidio in eastern Pelopormisos, Greece, is described and illustrated. It belongs to C. sect. Phalolepis, and taxonomically its closest relatives are C. heldreichii Halacsy, a very localized species from south-west Sterea Ellas (Greece) and, surprisingly, C. niederi Heldr., which belongs to sect. Acrolophus. The new species is currently known from two populations of less than 100 individuals each, growing on almost inaccessible cliffs close to the convent of Agios Nikolaos Sintzas (St. Nicolas of Sintza) and the slopes of Poundes summit. Several other Greek endemic species are found in the same areas. Centaurea leonidia is scientifically important as it belongs to a small group of taxa, which, although they are members of sect. Phalolepis, have close allies in sect. Acrolophus. The chromosome number of C. leonidia, 2n = 18, counted in root tips, is also reported and illustrated. (C) 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2004, 146, 375-383.