Biosistematica di alcune centauree della sezione Acrocentron Cass

Biosystematics of some species of Centaurea, sect. Acrocentron Cass.—Morphometrical investigations on herbarium specimens, and serological as electrophoretic studies on seed proteins, were carried out on Centaurea rupestris, C. scabiosa, C. dichroantha and C. ceratophylla (in this case only morphometrical and serological studies were possible). The morphometrical and electrophoretic results make us think that C. rupestris, C. dichroantha and C. scabiosa are species taxonomically almost equidistant. C. ceratophylla is distinct but very similar to C. rupestris, making it correct to consider the two taxa as subspecies. Serologically the four species appear very homogeneous: it seems appropriate to include them in a single section. C. dichroantha shows some peculiar morphological and biochemical characters, non-intermediate between C. rupestris and C. scabiosa, therefore we would exclude a recent genesis through its hybrid derivation from the crossing of these species. On the other hand, if C. dichro...