Flora of North America species comparison

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Zeltnera arizonica

Arizona centaury, Arizona Mountain centaury, marsh centaury
Habit Herbs annual or biennial, (10–)20–50(–60) cm.
Stems

1–10, usually branching ± sparsely near or above middle.
Leaves

basal usually present at flowering, sometimes numerous;

blade oblanceolate to lanceolate, (7–)15–70 × 4–10 mm;

cauline blades lanceolate to oblanceolate, (13–)25–70 × (2–)5–8(–13) mm, apex obtuse to acute.
Inflorescences

predominantly dichasial or distally monochasial cymes;

pedicels 4–40(–60) mm.
Flowers

5-merous;

calyx 7–12 mm;

corolla (15–)18–25 mm, lobes (linear to) lanceolate to lanceolate-ovate or elliptic, 7–12 × 1–5 mm, apex acute;

anthers 2.5–3.5 mm;

stigmas 2, fan-shaped.
Seeds

dark reddish brown.
2n

 = 24, 40.

Zeltnera arizonica
Phenology Flowering spring–fall.
Habitat Stream banks, marshes, other moist, open habitats.
Elevation 50–2800 m. (200–9200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; TX; UT; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Zeltnera arizonica and Z. calycosa appear to intergrade in western Texas and Coahuila, Mexico, as noted by C. R. Broome (1973), and have often been treated as varieties of a single species. Zeltnera arizonica was subsumed in undivided Centaurium calycosum by N. H. Holmgren (1984b), who attributed its allegedly distinguishing features largely to environmental effects, whereas B. L. Turner (1993d) considered the resemblance between these taxa to be superficial and Z. arizonica (as Centaurium) appropriately recognized at species rank. From studies for this flora, acceptance of this species seems warranted.

In Zeltnera arizonica, the relatively sparse branches generally spread at 10–20°, whereas in Z. calycosa the usually denser branches spread at 20–60°.

Zeltnera arizonica is highly variable in the proportionate width of its corolla lobes. Some plants in the western part of its range resemble Z. exaltata vegetatively but differ in having corolla lobes much longer in proportion to the tube.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Gentianaceae > Zeltnera
Sibling taxa
Z. beyrichii, Z. calycosa, Z. davyi, Z. exaltata, Z. glandulifera, Z. maryanniana, Z. muehlenbergii, Z. multicaulis, Z. namophila, Z. nudicaulis, Z. texensis, Z. trichantha, Z. venusta
Synonyms Erythraea calycosa var. arizonica, Centaurium arizonicum, C. calycosum var. arizonicum
Name authority (A. Gray) G. Mansion: Taxon 53: 733. (2004)
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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