Flora of North America species comparison

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Zeltnera davyi

Davy's centaury, Monterey centaury
Habit Herbs annual, (2–)5–30(–50) cm.
Stems

1–10, simple (small plants) or few-branched ± throughout.
Leaves

basal absent or occasionally persisting at flowering, similar to cauline;

cauline blades elliptic-oblong to ovate, 8–26 × 3–8(–13) mm, apex obtuse to acute.
Inflorescences

completely monochasial or occasionally proximally dichasial, ± racemoid cymes;

pedicels (2–)4–25(–55) mm.
Flowers

5-merous;

calyx 8–10 mm;

corolla 12–17 mm, lobes ovate-oblong, 3–7 mm, keeled (uniquely in this species in the flora area), apex obtuse;

stigmas 2, widely fan-shaped.
Seeds

dark brown.

Zeltnera davyi
Phenology Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat Moist coastal bluffs, inter­dunal depressions, open woods, sometimes in ultra­mafic soils.
Elevation 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

The name Centaurium muehlenbergii has sometimes been misapplied to Zeltnera davyi, with true Z. muehlenbergii then being called C. floribundum (J. S. Pringle 2010b).

The distinctly keeled calyx lobes cause the calyces of Zeltnera davyi to appear greater in diameter than those of related species and ovoid to ellipsoid rather than nearly cylindric. The combination of this calyx morphology and the proportionately wide, relatively deeply pigmented corolla lobes (usually evident in herbarium specimens) gives the flowers of Z. davyi a distinctive aspect.

Zeltnera davyi and Z. muehlenbergii are sometimes similar in habit. Medium-sized plants of Z. davyi are usually several-stemmed from the base, whereas that pattern is much less common in Z. muehlenbergii. Zeltnera davyi usually differs from Z. muehlenbergii in the presence of elliptic to ovate leaves over 5 mm wide (except on the smallest plants) well into the inflorescence; consistently present pedicels 4–30 mm long; calyx lobes with keels proximally 0.3–0.6 mm wide; and ovate-elliptic corolla lobes 3–7 × 2–3 mm. In Z. muehlenbergii, elliptic to narrowly ovate leaves, when present, are usually limited to the proximal one-third or less of the plant, with the distal leaves being narrower, and the corolla lobes are elliptic-oblong, 2–7 × 1–2 mm (J. S. Pringle 2010b).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Gentianaceae > Zeltnera
Sibling taxa
Z. arizonica, Z. beyrichii, Z. calycosa, Z. exaltata, Z. glandulifera, Z. maryanniana, Z. muehlenbergii, Z. multicaulis, Z. namophila, Z. nudicaulis, Z. texensis, Z. trichantha, Z. venusta
Synonyms Centaurium exaltatum var. davyi, C. davyi
Name authority (Jepson) G. Mansion: Taxon 53: 730. (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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