Centaurium erythraea
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Centaurium erythraea is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the names common centaury and European centaury. It is also commonly known as “feverfoullie”, “gentian” or “centaury”.[1]
Description
This is an upright biennial herb which reaches half a meter in height. It grows from a small basal rosette and bolts a leafy, upright stem which may branch. The triangular leaves are arranged oppositely on the stem and the upright 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[1]) and parts of western Asia and northern Africa. It has also naturalised in parts of North America,[1] New Zealand, and eastern Australia, where it is an introduced species. It grows in fields and roadsides.[2]
Subspecies
12 subspecies are accepted.[3]
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. apertum (H.Lindb.) GreuterScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Morocco and Algeria
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. bernardii (Maire & Sauvage) GreuterScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Morocco
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. boissieri (Willk.) Z.DíazScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – south-central and southern Spain
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. enclusense (O.Bolòs, Molin. & P.Monts.) O.Bolòs & VigoScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Balearic Islands (Menorca)
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – Azores, Morocco, and Europe to the Caucasus, Turkey, Syria, and Iran, and Yemen
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. grandiflorum (Biv.) MelderisScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Iberian Peninsula, Corsica, Sicily, and Greece (Ionian Islands)
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. limoniiforme (Greuter) GreuterScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Greece
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. majus (Hoffmanns. & Link) M.LaínzScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – France, Spain, Portugal, Sardinia, Sicily, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. rhodense (Boiss. & Reut.) MelderisScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Morocco and Tunisia, Corsica and Sardinia to the eastern Mediterranean
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. rumelicum (Velen.) MelderisScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – France, Corsica, Sardinia, Italy, Albania, Greece, Crete, and Bulgaria
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. suffruticosum (Griseb.) GreuterScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia
- Centaurium erythraea subsp. turcicum (Velen.) MelderisScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". – Portugal and Morocco; Eastern Mediterranean to Ukraine, Central Asia, and Pakistan
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.[1]
Gallery
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Centaurium erythraea
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Flowers
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Plant
References
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External links
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