Cheirolophus Cass.
Genus composed of some 26 species from the western Mediterranean region, and from Macaronesia, of which more than half are endemic to the Canary Islands, usually with small distribution areas. This genus is closely related to Centaurea, but the involucral bracts are not spiny, as is typical of Centaurea species; instead they have an apical appendage that is pectinate or fimbriate and unarmed. In North Africa it is represented by 3 endemic species, of which one (C. mauritanicus) is a true shrub up to 1.5 m height, and the other 2 are subshrubs, which barely reach 1 m in height.
Key to species
1 Leaves in the middle of the stems ovate-elliptic, with 2 narrow stipuliform lobes at the base. Involucre 15-20 mm in diameter, with glabrous bracts and with divisions of apical appendage longer than the width of the appendage Cheirolophus mauritanicus
1 Leaves in the middle of the stems linear, without stipuliform lobes at the base. Involucre 10-15 mm in diameter, with slightly arachnoid bracts and with divisions of apical appendage shorter than the width of the appendage 2
2 Involucral bracts with appendage ± decurrent. Flowers pink. Leaves laxly white-tomentose on both sides Cheirolophus benoistii
2 Involucral bracts with appendage not decurrent. Flowers purple. Leaves slightly arachnoid or subglabrous and green on upper side and ± densely white-tomentose on the underside Cheirolophus tananicus
Updated by: B. Valdés.