CENTAURIUMHill - CENTAURY
Scientific Description:
Annual or biennial herbs with opposite, sessile leaves. Basal leaves usually tufted. Stem strictly erect. Inflorescence cymose, rarely a spike-like cyme. Flowers 4−5-merous. Calyx narrow, with linear, frequently scarious-margined lobes. Corolla hypocrateriform, pink, purple or yellow, rarely white. Anthers twisting spirally after dehiscence. Style bifid at apex, stigmas capitate. Capsule oblong to fusiform. Seeds minute, reticulate.
Reference:
Jakobsen K (1978). Centaurium Hill, In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 6: 178.
Public Description:
Centaurium is a genus of annual or perennial herbs known as “centaury”, distributed across Europe and into Asia. There are approximately 31 species in the world and 7 species (11 taxa) in Türkiye. The genus was named after the “Centaur Chiron”, famed in Greek mythology for his skill in medicinal herbs. They are herbaceous plants with flashy flowers in pink, purple or yellow or rarely white.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centaurium //, Accessed date: 13.02.2016.
Anonymous 2 (2016). https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/genus/centaurium/ //, Accessed date: 13.02.2016.
Anonymous 3 (2016). http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Gentianaceae/Centaurium/ //, Accessed date: 13.02.2016.
Çiçek M (2012) Centaurium Hill, In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 512–513.
