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 [1]
  • Centaurella Delarbre (1800)
  • Erythraea Reneaulme ex Borkh. (1796)
  • Gonipia Raf. (1837)
  • Hippocentaurea Schult. (1814)
  • Libadion Bubani (1897)
  • Monodiella Maire (1943)
  • Xanthaea Rchb. (1841)

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 . [2]

Species

According to Plants of the World Online there are 24 species of Centaurium. [1]

See also

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

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

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<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

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<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>Zeltnera davyi</i> Plant species in the gentian family

Zeltnera davyi is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name Davy's centaury.

<i>Zeltnera exaltata</i> Plant species in the family

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<i>Sebaea</i> Genus of plants

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<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>Tachiadenus</i> Genus of flowering plants

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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.

<i>Zeltnera trichantha</i> Species of flowering plant

Zeltnera trichantha is a species of flowering plant in the family Gentianaceae. It is referred to by the common name alkali centaury. It is endemic to northern California.

References

  1. 1 2 "Centaurium Hill". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  2. 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.