Editing Centaurea scabiosa (section)

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Centaurea scabiosa.jpg
| genus = Centaurea
| species = scabiosa
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
}}

'''''Centaurea scabiosa''''', or '''greater knapweed''', is a [[perennial plant]] of the genus ''[[Centaurea]]''. It is native to Europe and bears purple [[flower head]]s.

Greater knapweed is found growing in dry [[grassland]]s, hedgerows and cliffs on lime-rich soil. Upright branched stems terminate in single thistle-like flowerheads, each having an outer ring of extended, purple-pink "ragged" bracts which form a crown around the central flowers. The plant has deeply dissected leaves which form a clump at the base.

This species is very valuable to bees. It is also a magnet for many species of butterfly. Among them is the [[Melanargia galathea|marbled white]].

This is the only known food plant for [[caterpillar]]s of the [[Coleophoridae]] case-bearer moth ''[[Coleophora didymella]]''. ''Centaurea scabiosa'' has been used in traditional herbal healing as either a [[vulnerary]] or an [[emollient]].

The plant is sometimes confused with [[Succisa pratensis|devils-bit scabious]], however the leaves on this plant are arranged alternately, whereas in devils-bit they are opposite.<ref name="The Wild Flower Key">{{cite book |last=Rose |first=Francis|authorlink=Francis Rose |title=The Wild Flower Key |year=1981 |publisher=Frederick Warne & Co|isbn=0-7232-2419-6 |pages=385–387}}</ref>