Plant: annual or biennial herb, 2.5-40 cm tall; stems angled, winged, simple or branched
Leaves: lanceolate, elliptic or oblanceolate, 8-35 mm long; basal rosette absent or present on larger (biennial-) plants
INFLORESCENCE: cymose
Flowers: 1-several, pedicellate; calyx lobes 5-10 mm long, often scarious margined, the tube 1-2 mm long; corolla pink, rarely white, the lobes 3-5 mm long, the tube (7-)9-12 mm long
Fruit: cylindric capsules, 8-10 mm long; SEEDS oblong to spherical, finely reticulate
Misc: In moist soil and seep areas; 500-1350 m (1600-4500 ft); Feb-Jun
REFERENCES: Mason, Charles T. 1998 Gentianaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. 30(2): 84.
Duration: Annual
Nativity: Native
Lifeform: Forb/Herb
General: A small annual or biennial herb, to 40 cm tall, single stemmed or branching at the base stems angled, winged.
Leaves: Two ranked, well-spaced, opposite and sessile or in a basal rosette with short petioles, lanceolate to ovate, 1-3.5 cm long, glabrous.
Flowers: White with pink corollas, the calyx tube opening into 5 star-shaped lobes, each lobe 3-5 mm long, with scarious margins and acute or acuminate tips, stamens exserted and having noticeable yellow anthers.
Fruits: Small cylindric capsules, 8-10 mm long, bearing oblong to spherical seeds.
Ecology: Found in wet areas and stream beds, from 1,500-4,500 ft (457-1372 m); flowers February-November.
Notes: The name change to this species is relatively recent, look for it under Centaurium exaltatum. This species is somewhat smaller in stature than Zeltnera calycosum, generally having few branches, and smaller flowers and leaves and much smaller calyx lobes (petals). These flowers are white or purplish-pink with a white throat.
Ethnobotany: The plant was used as an infusion to treat stomach pains, toothaches, and consumption.
Etymology: Zeltnera is named after Louis Zeltner (1938- ) and Nicole Zeltner (1934- ), Swiss botanists and biosystematists, whle exaltata means very tall, lofty.
Synonyms: Numerous, see Tropicos
Editor: LCrumbacher, 2011
