Centaurium

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Centaurium
Centaurium erythraea (plant).jpg
Centaurium erythraea
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Gentianaceae
Tribe: Chironieae
Subtribe: Chironiinae
Genus: Centaurium
Hill, 1756
Synonyms

ErythraeaBorkh.

Centaurium (centaury) is a genus of 20 species in the gentian family (Gentianaceae), tribe Chironieae, subtribe Chironiinae. The genus was named after the centaur Chiron, famed in Greek mythology for his skill in medicinal herbs. It is distributed across Europe and Asia.

Contents

Until 2004, Centaurium was given a much wider circumscription, comprising about 50 species ranging across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and the Pacific. However this circumscription was polyphyletic, so in 2004 the genus was split into four, being Centaurium sensu stricto, Zeltnera , Gyrandra , and Schenkia . [1]

Species

See also

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Centaury is a common name for several plants and may refer to:

<i>Gentianella</i> Genus of plants

Gentianella is a plant genus in the gentian family (Gentianaceae). Plants of this genus are known commonly as dwarf gentians.

Zeltnera beyrichii, commonly known as mountain pink, quinine weed or rock centaury, is an annual plant in the New World that blooms from late spring to early fall. Used as a medicinal plant by pioneers, the flowers were dried and used to reduce fevers.

<i>Schenkia sebaeoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Schenkia sebaeoides, known as ʻĀwiwi in Hawaiian and lavaslope centaury in English, is a rare species of flowering plant. It is endemic to low shrublands in the state of Hawaiʻi in the United States. It is present on the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Lanai, Molokai, and Maui. At the time it was added to the endangered species list of the United States in 1991 it was known from seven populations for a total of fewer than 1000 individuals. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<i>Centaurium erythraea</i> Species of flowering plant

Centaurium erythraea is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names common centaury and European centaury.

<i>Zeltnera venusta</i> Species of plant

Zeltnera venusta is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names California centaury, charming centaury and canchalagua. This centaury is native to much of California, southern Oregon, and northwest Baja California.

<i>Zeltnera muehlenbergii</i> Species of plant

Zeltnera muehlenbergii is a species of annual herb commonly known as Monterey centaury and Muhlenberg's centaury. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California and Nevada, where it commonly grows in forests and other moist places. This is an annual herb growing thin, erect, branching stems to heights anywhere between 10 centimeters and one meter. Oval-shaped leaves are arranged oppositely on the stem and are up to 2 or 3 centimeters long. The branching inflorescence bears many flowers, each with small bracts at its base. The flower has five oval-shaped petallike lobes each a few millimeters long.

<i>Schenkia spicata</i> Species of plant

Schenkia spicata is a species of annual herb in the family Gentianaceae. It has a very wide old world distribution, ranging from north Africa, through Europe and into Asia.

<i>Schenkia australis</i> Species of plant

Schenkia australis is a species of annual herb in the Gentianaceae family. It is endemic to Australia.

<i>Schenkia</i> Genus of plants

Schenkia is a genus of flowering plants in the gentian family, Gentianaceae. It is sometimes included in the genus Centaurium.

<i>Sebaea</i> Genus of plants

Sebaea is a genus of annual plants in the family Gentianaceae. Species occur in Africa, Madagascar, India, China, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. The genus was paraphyletic and has been split in four genera: Exochaenium, Klackenbergia, Lagenias and Sebaeas.str.. Synapomorphies for Sebaea s.str. include the presence of extra stigma along the style and the shape of the testa cells of the seeds.

Guy L. Nesom is an American writer and botanist.

<i>Zeltnera</i> Genus of flowering plants

Zeltnera is a genus of flowering plants in the gentian family. It was erected in 2004 when the genus Centaurium was split. Genetic analysis revealed that Centaurium was polyphyletic, made up of plants that could be grouped into four clades. Each became a genus. Centaurium remained, but it is now limited to the Eurasian species. The Mexican species now belong to genus Gyrandra, and the Mediterranean and Australian plants are in genus Schenkia. The new name Zeltnera was given to this genus, which contains most of the North American centauries. There are about 25 species.

<i>Klackenbergia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Klackenbergia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family (Gentianaceae) and the tribe Exaceae. It only contains two species, both endemic to Madagascar. They are notable for their inflorescence with characteristic long bracts and bracteoles and sub-sessile flowers arranged in axillary fascicules at each node.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exaceae</span> Tribe of flowering plants

Exaceae is a flowering plant tribe in the family Gentianaceae. Exaceae comprises about 180 species assigned to eight monophyletic genera, with major centres of endemism in continental Africa, Madagascar and the southern tip of India and Sri Lanka (14 endemic species).

Gyrandra is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gentianaceae, found in Texas, Mexico and Central America. Annual herbs, they are usually found in montane pine-oak forests.

References

  1. Mansion, Guilhem (2004). "A new classification of the polyphyletic genus Centaurium Hill (Chironiinae, Gentianaceae): description of the New World endemic Zeltnera, and reinstatement of Gyrandra Griseb. and Schenkia Griseb". Taxon . 53 (3): 719–740. doi:10.2307/4135447. JSTOR   4135447. S2CID   85265968.