Centaurium erythraea

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Centaurium erythraea
Centaurium erythraea 220603.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Gentianaceae
Genus: Centaurium
Species:
C. erythraea
Binomial name
Centaurium erythraea
Synonyms [1]
List
    • Centaurella dichotomaDelarbre
    • Centaurium capitatum(Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.) Borbás
    • Centaurium corymbosum(Dulac) Druce
    • Centaurium erythraea var. capitatum(Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.) Melderis
    • Centaurium erythraea var. fasciculare(Duby) Ubsdell
    • Centaurium erythraea var. latifolium(Sm.) T.C.G.Rich
    • Centaurium erythraea var. laxum(Boiss.) Mouterde ex Charpin & Greuter
    • Centaurium erythraea var. masclansiiO.Bolòs & Vigo
    • Centaurium erythraea var. subcapitatum(Corb.) Ubsdell
    • Centaurium erythraea var. sublitorale(Wheldon & Salmon) Ubsdell
    • Centaurium latifolium(Sm.) Druce
    • Centaurium lomae(Gilg) Druce
    • Centaurium minusMoench
    • Centaurium minus var. austriacum(Ronniger ex Fritsch) Soó
    • Centaurium minus var. transiens(Wittr.) Soó
    • Centaurium umbellatum f. albumSigunov
    • Centaurium umbellatum var. fasciculare(Duby) Gilmour
    • Centaurium vulgareRafn
    • Chironia centaurium(L.) F.W.Schmidt
    • Chironia centaurium var. fascicularisDuby
    • Chironia erythraeaSchousb.
    • Erythraea capitataWilld. ex Roem. & Schult.
    • Erythraea centaurium(L.) Pers.
    • Erythraea centaurium f. itatiaiaensisDusén
    • Erythraea corymbosaDulac
    • Erythraea germanicaHoffmanns. & Link
    • Erythraea latifoliaSm.
    • Erythraea lomaeGilg
    • Erythraea vulgarisGray
    • Gentiana centauriumL.
    • Gentiana gerardiiF.W.Schmidt
    • Gentiana palustrisLam.
    • Gonipia linearisRaf.
    • Hippocentaurea centauriumSchult.
    • Libadion variabileBubani
    • Xolemia palustris(DC.) Raf.
Centaurium erythraea, as depicted in 6th-century Leiden manuscript of Pseudo-Apuleius' Herbarius Leiden Centauria minor.jpg
Centaurium erythraea, as depicted in 6th-century Leiden manuscript of Pseudo-Apuleius' Herbarius

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

Contents

Description

This is an erect biennial herb which reaches half a meter in height. It grows from a small basal rosette and bolts a leafy, erect stem which may branch. The triangular leaves are arranged oppositely on the stem and the erect inflorescences emerge from the stem and grow parallel to it, sometimes tangling with the foliage. Each inflorescence may contain many flowers. The petite flower is pinkish-lavender and about a centimeter across, flat-faced with yellow anthers. The fruit is a cylindrical capsule.

It flowers from June until September.

Distribution and habitat

This centaury is a widespread plant of Europe (including Scotland, Sweden and Mediterranean countries [2] ) and parts of western Asia and northern Africa. It has also naturalised in parts of North America, [2] New Zealand, and eastern Australia, where it is an introduced species. It grows in fields and roadsides. [3]

Taxonomy

It is also commonly known as “feverfoullie”, “gentian” or “centaury”. [2]

Uses

The European centaury is mainly prepared as a tisane for use in traditional medicine. [4] [5]

Chemical constituents

C. erythraea contains phenolic acids, including ferulic and sinapic acids, as well as sterols (as brassicasterol and stigmasterol), secoiridoid and the glycosides, swertiamarin, and sweroside. [2]

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<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>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>Gentiana sceptrum</i> Species of plant

Gentiana sceptrum is a species of flowering plant in the family Gentianaceae. It is known by the common names king's scepter gentian or king's gentian.

<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 australis</i> Species of plant

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

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

Zeltnera calycosa is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name Arizona centaury. It is native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, where it grows in moist places in otherwise dry habitat, such as riverbanks. This is an erect biennial herb growing up to half a meter tall. The widely lance-shaped leaves appear in a basal rosette and along the slender stem, each up to 7 centimeters long. The inflorescence is an open array of flowers on short pedicels. Each flower opens into five pointed lobes, each about a centimeter long and dark rose pink in color.

<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

Zeltnera exaltata is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names desert centaury and tall centaury. It is native to much of western North America from British Columbia to Arizona to Nebraska, where it grows in moist areas, generally with alkaline soils. This is an annual herb which is variable in appearance, especially in different habitat types. It grows up to about 35 centimeters in height, its slender stem with widely spaced pairs of oppositely arranged, pointed leaves 1 to 3 centimeters long. The inflorescence is an open array of flowers, each on a pedicel which may be several centimeters in length. The flower has generally four or five white or pink lobes, each somewhat rolled to appear narrow in shape.

<i>Stenoptilia zophodactylus</i> Species of plume moth

Stenoptilia zophodactylus, also known as the dowdy plume, is a species of moth of the family Pterophoridae found worldwide. It was first described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1840.

Frasera fastigiata is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name clustered green gentian. It is native to the northwestern United States, where it grows in meadows and other mountain habitat. It is a perennial herb producing a single stem which grows erect and often exceeds a meter in height. The basal leaves have oval or spoon-shaped blades up to 30 centimeters long by 10 wide. Leaves higher on the stem may be smaller and narrower. Some of the leaves have white margins. The inflorescence is a dense panicle atop the stem, sometimes interrupted into a series of clusters of flowers. Each flower has a corolla of four pointed lobes each roughly a centimeter long. They are greenish, often tinged with yellow or blue. There are four stamens tipped with large anthers and a central ovary.

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

Zeltnera namatophila, the spring-loving centaury, is a rare species of flowering plant in the gentian family. It is endemic to the Amargosa Valley, in Nye County, southwestern Nevada.

<i>Centaurium pulchellum</i> Plant species in the gentian family

Centaurium pulchellum is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name lesser centaury, or slender centaury. It differs from Centaurium erythraea by lacking basal rosette of leaves and by having a developed peduncle below the flowers. It is often much smaller, less than ten centimetres. It is native to the southern temperate parts of Europe.

<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.

References

  1. "Centaurium erythraea Rafn". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kumarasamy, Y.; Nahar, L.; Cox, P. J.; Jaspars, M.; Sarker, S. D. (2003). "Bioactivity of secoiridoid glycosides from Centaurium erythraea". Phytomedicine. 10 (4). urbanfischer.de: 344–347. doi:10.1078/094471103322004857. PMID   12809366 . Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  3. "Centaurium erythraea". ucjeps.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
  4. "Centaury, Herbal medicine: Summary for the Public" (PDF). European Medicines Agency. 2 February 2016.
  5. El Menyiy, Naoual; Guaouguaou, Fatima-Ezzahrae; El Baaboua, Aicha; et al. (10 August 2021). "Phytochemical properties, biological activities and medicinal use of Centaurium erythraea Rafn". Journal of Ethnopharmacology: 114171. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114171 . Retrieved 24 June 2024.