Centaurium erythraea

• Overview
• Interesting Facts
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Click on the language to view common names.

Description

Family Gentianaceae

Herbs [shrubs or small trees ], annual , biennial, or perennial . Stems ascending , erect , or twining . Leaves opposite, less often alternate or whorled , simple , base connate ; stipules absent. Inflorescences simple or complex cymes, sometimes reduced to sessile clusters , often in a thyrse or 1-flowered. Flowers bisexual , rarely unisexual , 4 or 5 (or 6-8) [-12]-merous. Calyx tubular , obconic, campanulate , or rotate, lobes joined at least basally. Corolla tubular, obconic, salverform , funnelform , campanulate, or rotate, rarely with basal spurs; lobes overlapping to right or rarely valvate in bud; plicae (extensions of the corolla tube between the lobes) present or absent. Stamens inserted on corolla tube or occasionally at sinus between corolla lobes, alternate with lobes; anthers basifixed or dorsifixed , 2-locular. Nectaries absent or attached to ovary base or corolla. Ovary usually 1-locular at least apically, rarely 2-locular due to intrusion of a lamellate placenta into locular cavity . Fruit a 2-valved capsule, rarely a berry. Seeds many or rarely few, small; endosperm abundant [scant in saprophytic genera].

About 80 genera and 700 species: worldwide; 20 genera and 419 species in China, of which two genera and 251 species are endemic.[1]

Genus Centaurium

Annuals . Stems erect , obscurely 4angled. Leaves opposite. Cymes pseudodichotomous , sometimes spicate . Flowers [4 or] 5merous. Calyx lobed nearly to base . Corolla salverform , lobes shorter than tube . Stamens inserted at throat of corolla tube; filaments filiform , erect at first, helically coiled later; anthers dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary partly 2-locular. Style linear ; stigma lobes orbicular . Capsules 2valved, many seeded. Seed coat alveolate .

40-50 species: worldwide except subsaharan Africa; two species in China.[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 4,653 meters (0 to 15,266 feet).[3]

Biology

Reproduction

Duration: Annual , Biennial

Growth

Culture: Space 6-9" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 6.1 • Maximum pH: 7.8

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade.

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b. (map)

Taxonomy

Synonyms

Centaurium minus auct. non Moench • Centaurium umbellatum auct. non Gilib. • Erythraea Centaurium of Authors

Notes

Publishing author : Rafn Publication : Danm. Holst. Fl. 2: 75 1800 [Jun 1800]

Similar Species

Members of the genus Centaurium

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 30 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

C. arizonicum (Arizona Centaury) · C. beyrichii (Mountain Pink) · C. beyrichii var. beyrichii (Quinineweed) · C. breviflorum (Shortflower Centaury) · C. calycosum (Arizona Centaury) · C. calycosum var. calycosum (Arizona Centaury) · C. confertum (Centaury) · C. davyi (Davy's Centaury) · C. erythraea (Bitter Herb) · C. erythraea erythraea (European Centaury) · C. erythraea var. capitatum (European Centaury) · C. exaltatum (Desert Centaury) · C. glanduliferum (Sticky Centaury) · C. littorale (Seaside Centaury) · C. littorale var. glomeratum (Seaside Centaury) · C. maryannum (Gypsum Centaury) · C. muehlenbergii (June Centaury) · C. multicaule (Many-Stem Centaury) · C. namophilum (Spring Loving Centaury) · C. nudicaule (Santa Catalina Centaurium) · C. pulchellum (Branched Centaury) · C. quitense (Britton's Centaury) · C. sebaeoides (Awiwi) · C. spicatum (Spiked Centaury) · C. tenuiflorum (Slender Centaury) · C. texense (Lady Bird's Centaury) · C. trichanthum (Alkali Centaury) · C. venustum (Canchalagua Centaury) · C. venustum venustum (Canchalagua) · C. venustum subsp. abramsii (Charming Centaury)

More Info

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• Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books

Further Reading

• List of rare, threatened and endemic plants in Europe (1982 edition) Council of Europe url p. 32.
• Phytologia. Bronx Park, New York, H.A. Gleason and H.N. Moldenke, url p. 23, p. 28.
• Proceedings and transactions of the South London Entomological & Natural History Society. London: The Society. url p. 100, p. 122.
• The Canadian field-naturalist. Ottawa, Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club. url p. 410.
• Ho Ting-nung; Liu Shang-wu, & Wu Ching-ju in Ho Ting-nung, ed. 1988. Gentianaceae. Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 62: 1-411.

Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 10, 2012.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed January 20, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 4 providers.
• Ruggiero M., Gordon D., Bailly N., Kirk P., Nicolson D. (2011). The Catalogue of Life Taxonomic Classification, Edition 2, Part A. In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist (Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D., eds). DVD; Species 2000: Reading, UK.
• The International Plant Names Index. Accessed Dec 27, 2011.
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 26, 2008)

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 17, 2007:

• Biologiezentrum der Oberoesterreichischen Landesmuseen, Biologiezentrum Linz
• Conservatoire botanique national du Bassin parisien, Conservatoire botanique national du Bassin parisien
• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• Oregon State University, Vascular Plant Collection
• The Swedish Museum of Natural History
• , Herbarium of Oskarshamn
• The Swedish Museum of Natural History
• , Lund Botanical Museum
• UK National Biodiversity Network, Environment and Heritage Service - EHS Species Datasets

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2653250
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-30045
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 5347612
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:57203-3
• GRIN Nomen Number: 320036
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 30045
• International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 57203-3
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PDGEN02050
• U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: ERCE4
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 29468

Footnotes

1. Ting-nung Ho & James S. Pringle "Gentianaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 1. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
2. "Centaurium". in Flora of China Vol. 16 Page 4. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
3. Mean = 184.460 meters (605.184 feet), Standard Deviation = 379.860 based on 6,623 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.