| Centaurea | 
|  | 
| Centaurea pullata | 
|
| Scientific classification | 
| Kingdom: | Plantae | 
 
| Clade: | Tracheophytes | 
 
| Clade: | Angiosperms | 
 
| Clade: | Eudicots | 
 
| Clade: | Asterids | 
 
| Order: | Asterales | 
 
| Family: | Asteraceae | 
 
| Subfamily: | Carduoideae | 
 
| Tribe: | Cardueae | 
 
| Subtribe: | Centaureinae | 
 
| Genus: | Centaurea L.
 | 
|
|
| Type species | 
| Centaurea paniculata 
 L. | 
| Diversity | 
| Over 700 species | 
| Synonyms | 
| List  
Acosta DC.× Acostitrapa RauschertAcrocentron Cass.Acrolophus Cass.Alophium Cass.Ammocyanus (Boiss.) DostálAntaurea Neck.Behen HillBenedicta Bernh.Calcitrapa Heist. ex Fabr.Calcitrapoides Fabr.Carbeni Adans.Carbenia Adans.Cardosanctus BubaniCestrinus Cass.Chartolepis Cass.Cheirolepis Boiss.Chrysopappus Takht.Cistrum HillCnicus L.× Colycea Fern.Casas & Susanna× Colymbacosta RauschertColymbada HillCrepula HillCyanus Mill.Cynaroides (Boiss. ex Walp.) DostálEremopappus Takht.Erinacella (Rech.f.) DostálEriopha HillGrossheimia Sosn. & Takht.Heraclea HillHierapicra KuntzeHippophaestum GrayHookia Neck.Hyalea Jaub. & SpachHymenocentron Cass.Jacea Mill.× Jaceacosta Rauschert× Jaceitrapa RauschertLepteranthus Neck. ex Fourr.Leucacantha Nieuwl. & LunellLeucantha GrayLopholoma Cass.Melanoloma Cass.Menomphalus PomelMesocentron Cass.Microlophus Cass.Paraphysis (DC.) DostálPectinastrum Cass.Petrodavisia HolubPhaeopappus (DC.) Boiss.Phalolepis Cass.Philostizus Cass.Phrygia (Pers.) BoscPiptoceras Cass.Platylophus Cass.Plumosipappus Czerep.Podia Neck.Polyacantha GrayPsora HillPterolophus Cass.Pycnocomus HillRhacoma Adans.Sagmen Hill.Seridia Juss.Setachna DulacSolstitiaria HillSphaerocephala HillSpilacron Cass.Staebe HillStenolophus Cass.Stephanochilus Coss. ex MaireTetramorphaea DC.Tomanthea DC.Triplocentron Cass.Veltis Adans.Verutina Cass.Wagenitzia Dostál
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Centaurea () is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich.