Family |
Gentianaceae
Centaurium erythraea
Rafn
Centaurium erythraea Rafn
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 3, Pl. XV nº 4; 1983)
Description
Life-form & habit: Annual herb with a quadrangular, branched stem, 20–60 cm tall.
Leaves: Basal rosette of oblong to ovate leaves; cauline leaves sessile, ovate-lanceolate.
Inflorescence & flowers: All flowers of the dichotomies sessile and subtended by their bracts, forming compact fascicles.
Calyx: Usually reaching just beyond the middle of the corolla tube (with some exceptions).
Corolla: Pink, with ovate and obtuse lobes.
Stigmas: With nearly circular lobes.
Fruit: Capsule semi-biloculate.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowers from April to October.
Habitat & elevation: Wooded and bushy habitats.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution:
var. erythraea: Mi. Jabal Terbol, Souk el Gharb, Qrayé; Mm. Ehden; S. ‘Aïn Haramiyé.
var. laxum: Ct. Saïda, Nahr Beyrouth, Nahr el-Kelb, Jall ed-Dib; Mi. Jamhour, Baabda, ‘Aley; S. Mi. Bhamra.
var. sanguineum: Mi. Jouar near Khanchara; S. Mi. Massiaf.
Unidentified variety: Mi. above Antélias, ‘Antoura, Bikfaya, ‘Aïn Zhalta; Mm. Hasroun, Dimane, Ehden, Cedars, above Bcharré; Met. Ta‘naïl; S. Lattaquié, Santa, N. of Massiaf; NLatt. Froulok, Kessab.
Native range: Mediterranean basin and Western Asia