Rhaponticoides gokceoglui

Erect perennial herb, usually 1–2 m tall, arising from very thick rhizomes up to 3 cm in diam. Stem single or a few, divided above into one-capitulate branches, sometimes   producing fairly small sterile capitula, relatively sturdy, densely leafy throughout, 0.5–0.7 cm in diam at base, erect, sulcate, brownish; basal part and lower nodes with arachnoid to arachnoid-tomentose pubescence, decreasing upwards, upper part  glabrous. Basal leaves very few, withering before anthesis. Cauline leaves 16–20, firm, pinnatisect, petiolate, subglabrous to puberulent on veins of the upper surface, puberulent to weakly pilose on veins beneath. Lower leaves elliptic-ovate in outline, petiolate, 15–20 × 9–12 cm with 6–7 pairs of elliptic-lanceolate, serrate, terminal leflets 6–9 × 1.5–2.5 cm, obovate to lanceolate, lateral leaflets 4–9 × 1–2.5 cm, lanceolate, in 2 or 3 pairs decurrent along rachis. Upper cauline leaves resembling the lower ones but sessile, decreazing in size upwards, apex acute, with a distinct mucro ca. 1 mm long. Capitula up to 40 mm long. Involucre broadly ovoid to almost spherical 18–22 × 11–20 mm, glabrous. Phyllaries multiseriate, coriaceous, yellowish-brown, becoming dark-brown apically, conspicuously longitudinally striate with blackish-green lines. Outer phyllaries ovate, 5–10 × 3–7 mm, middle phyllaries ovate-oblong to oblong, 12–19 × 6–7.5 mm, both without a distinct appendage, with a very narrow scarious margin up to 1 mm wide; margin entire to slightly undulate. Inner phyllaries oblong, 19–24 mm × 3–5 mm, cucullate at apex with a scarious margin ca. 1.5 mm long; margin entire, flat to slighly undulate. Florets pale pink to pinkish-violet, 18–20 mm long, distinctly 5-veined, marginal ones radiant, sterile; corolla lobes filiform up to 7 mm long; anther tube of fertile florets pinkish-violet, exserted. Achenes asymmetrically subcylindrical-truncate, 6–8 × 3–4 mm, pale cream to pale brown, transversally wrinkled in the upper part, smooth towards base. Pappus multiseriate, 7–9 mm long, finely scabridulous, yellowish becoming pale brown.

Endemic.