Zeltnera davyi
Zeltnera texensis
Davy's centaury, Monterey centaury
Lady Bird's centaury, Lady Bird's mountain-pink, Texas or Lady Bird's centaury
1–10, simple (small plants) or few-branched ± throughout.
1(–5), dividing below middle into ± equal branches, these further branching throughout or, in the smaller plants, branching only distally.
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.
usually all cauline;
blade narrowly elliptic to linear (proximal) to filiform (distal), 7–25 × 0.5–4.5(–8) mm, apex acute.
completely monochasial or occasionally proximally dichasial, ± racemoid cymes;
pedicels (2–)4–25(–55) mm.
open, much-branched, dichasial, with a central flower in each fork, or distally sometimes monochasial cymes;
pedicels 4–20 mm.
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.
5-merous;
calyx 6–12 mm;
corolla 12–20 mm, lobes narrowly oblong to elliptic-oblong, 3–7 × 0.8–1.5 mm, apex acute;
stigmas 2, fan-shaped.
dark brown.
light brown.
= 40, 42.
Zeltnera davyi
Zeltnera texensis
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.)
Zeltnera texensis has been reported from Nuevo León, Mexico (J. N. Mink et al. 2011b), remote from its range in the United States, but specimens have not been examined in studies for this flora. Reports of Z. texensis (as Centaurium) from Louisiana have been based on misidentified C. pulchellum and C. tenuiflorum (J. S. Pringle 2010b). Reports from New Mexico have been based on Z. arizonica and Z. maryanniana (studies for this flora).
Zeltnera texensis differs from Z. maryanniana most conspicuously in being proximally single-stemmed without persistent basal leaves.
The name Lady Bird’s centaury is for Claudia Alta Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson, former First Lady of the United States, who promoted the conservation of native plant species and their use in beautifying highway verges. She especially liked this species and had seeds of it sown around the airstrip at the Johnson ranch in Texas.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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