Flora of North America species comparison

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Centaurium erythraea

common centaury, European centaury
Habit Herbs annual or biennial, 3–60 cm.
Stems

1–several, branching mostly above middle.
Leaves

rosette of basal leaves usually present at flowering;

blade elliptic to spatulate-obovate, 15–70 × 5–20 mm, apex rounded to subacute;

cauline blades elliptic (proximal) to lanceolate or linear (distal), 8–50 × 1–8 mm, apex obtuse to acute.
Inflorescences

dense, ± corymboid, dichasial cymes;

flowers sessile or occasionally on pedicels to 2 mm.
Flowers

calyx (2–)5–7 mm;

corolla (6–)10–17 mm, lobes (3–)4–8 mm;

anthers (1–)2–2.5 mm;

stigmas ovate-elliptic.
Seeds

brown.
2n

 = 40 (Europe), 42 (Spain).

Centaurium erythraea
Phenology Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat Fields, roadsides, other open, disturbed habitats.
Elevation 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; IN; LA; MA; MD; MI; MT; NC; NY; OH; OR; PA; VA; VT; WA; MB; NS; ON; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Central America, South America, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The name Centaurium minus Moench is a synonym of C. littorale (Turner) Gilmour but has often been misapplied to C. erythraea. Centaurium minus Garsault and C. umbellatum Gilibert are invalidly published names that have been applied to C. erythraea.

In the flora area, Centaurium erythraea appears to be represented only by what is called subsp. erythraea in more inclusive circumscriptions of the species, for example, A. Melderis (1972). The one chromosome count for a North American population is consistent with this interpretation.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Gentianaceae > Centaurium
Sibling taxa
C. pulchellum, C. tenuiflorum
Name authority Rafn: Danm. Holst. Fl. 2: 75. (1800)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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