Linnaeus, C. (1 May 1753), Species Plantarum 2: 917 [tax. nov.]

• Type: "Habitat in Melita."

Bentham, G. (5 January 1867), Orders XLVIII. Myrtaceae- LXII. Compositae. Flora Australiensis 3: 458 [secondary reference]

taxonomic synonym: Centaurea apula Lam. legitimate

Tepper, J.G.O. (1880), On the characteristics and distribution of the native and naturalised plants about Ardrossan, Yorke's Peninsula. Transactions, proceedings and report, Royal Society of South Australia 3: 45 [secondary reference]

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1888), Plants, hitherto immigrated and naturalized in Victoria, with indications of their nativity and English popular names. Key to the System of Victorian Plants 1: 534 [secondary reference]

Hamilton, A.G. (1892), On the effect which settlement in Australia has produced upon indigenous vegetation. Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 26: 235 [secondary reference]

Rodway, L. (1903), The Tasmanian Flora: 97 [secondary reference]

Dixon, W.A. (1906), The Plants of New South Wales: 201 [secondary reference]

Bailey, F.M. (1913), Comprehensive Catalogue of Queensland Plants: 276 [secondary reference]

common name: Star Thistle [n/a]

Black, J.M. (1929), Bignoniaceae - Compositae. Flora of South Australia 4: 655, Fig. 317 [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a]

Domin, K. (1930), Beitrage zur Flora und Pflanzengeographie Australiens. Bibliotheca Botanica 22(89): 1241 [secondary reference]

taxonomic synonym: Centaurea apula Lam. legitimate

Black, J.M. & Robertson, E.L. (1957), Flora of South Australia Edn. 2, 4: 936, Fig. 1244 [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a]

Beadle, N.C.W., Evans, O.D. & Carolin, R.C. (1962), Handbook of the Vascular Plants of the Sydney District and Blue Mountains: 375-376 [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a]

Curtis, W.M. (1963), Angiospermae: Lythraceae to Epacridaceae. The Student's Flora of Tasmania 2: 380 [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a]

Burbidge, N.T. & Gray, M. (1970), Flora of the Australian Capital Territory: 394, Fig. 395C (bract). [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a]

Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. & Leigh, J.H. (1981), Plants of Western New South Wales: 720 [secondary reference]

common name: Wild Irishman [n/a] common name: Maltese Thistle [n/a] common name: Cockspur Thistle [n/a] common name: Malta Thistle [n/a] common name: Napa Star Thistle [n/a] common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a]

Jacobs, S.W.L. & Pickard, J. (1981), Plants of New South Wales: 75 [secondary reference]

Jessop, J.P. in Jessop, J.P. (ed.) (1981), Compositae (Asteraceae) - most genera. Flora of Central Australia: 412, Fig. 531 [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese cockspur [n/a]

Green, J.W. (1985), Census of the Vascular Plants of Western Australia Edn. 2: 164 [secondary reference]

Stanley, T.D. in Stanley, T.D. & Ross, E.M. (1986), Asteraceae. Flora of South-eastern Queensland 2: 585 [secondary reference]

common name: Cockspur Thistle [n/a] common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a]

Lander, N.S. in Marchant, N.G., Wheeler, J.R., Rye, B.L., Bennett, E.M., Lander, N.S. & Macfarlane, T.D. (1987), Asteraceae. Flora of the Perth Region 2: 666-667 [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a] common name: Cockspur Thistle [n/a]

Murray, L. in Harden, G.J. (ed.) (1992), Centaurea. Flora of New South Wales 3: 326 [secondary reference]

common name: Cockspur Thistle [n/a] common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a]

Green, P.S. in Wilson, A.J.G. (ed.) (1994), Norfolk Island & Lord Howe Island. Flora of Australia 49: 368 [secondary reference]

Jeanes, J.A. in Walsh, N.G. & Entwisle, T.J. (ed.) (1999), Asteraceae. Flora of Victoria 4: 682, Fig. 129n [secondary reference]

common name: Cockspur Thistle [n/a] common name: Malta Thistle [n/a]

Wheeler, J.R., Marchant, N.G. & Lewington, M. (2002), Dicotyledons. Flora of the South West 2: 499 [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a] common name: Cockspur Thistle [n/a]

Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (2011), Australian Plant Census: - [secondary reference]

• APC Dist.: WA (naturalised), NT (naturalised), SA (naturalised), Qld (naturalised), NSW (naturalised), LHI (formerly naturalised), NI (naturalised), ACT (formerly naturalised), Vic (naturalised), Tas (naturalised)

Bean, A.R. in Wilson, A.J.G. (ed.) (2015), Asteraceae Subfam. 2. Carduoideae Trib. 1. Cardueae. Flora of Australia 37: 77-78, Plate 6, Fig. 5H-K, map [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a] common name: Malta Thistle [n/a]

Barrett, Russell & Tay, Eng Pin (2016), Perth Plants: a Field Guide to the Bushland and Coastal Flora of Kings Park and Bold Park Edn. 2: 268-269, photos 11-13 [secondary reference]

common name: Maltese Cockspur [n/a]

de Salas, M.F. & Baker, M.L. (2016), Tasmanian vascular plant census. A Census of the Vascular Plants of Tasmania, including Macquarie Island: 12 [secondary reference]

Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (31 July 2018), Australian Plant Census: - APC [secondary reference]

taxonomic synonym: Centaurea apula Lam. legitimate

• APC Dist.: WA (naturalised), NT (naturalised), SA (naturalised), Qld (naturalised), NSW (naturalised), LHI (formerly naturalised), NI (naturalised), ACT (formerly naturalised), Vic (naturalised), Tas (naturalised)

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