Centaurea urvillei is an attractive thistle-like plant with a rosette of none prickly leaves and several flowers, each on a stiff stem arising from the centre. It is native to Greece and Turkey and does not occur outside this area. It is very similar to C. raphanina but has longer stem and the spines of phylliaries, the bracts surrounding the flower head has longer, sharper spines. The plants are generally found in the forest.