Duration: Annual

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Annual 2.5-40 cm tall, the stems angled, winged or branched at the base to form a basal rosette on larger plants.

Leaves: Basal rosette of 4-15 mm long, blades oblanceolate to obovate, petiolate, cauline leaves 3-25 mm long, 1-2 pairs, narrow linear lanceolate to elliptic.

Flowers: One to many flowers in a cyme, on pedicels 2.5-5 cm long, the calyx lobes linear to linear-lanceolate, 3-8 mm long, the tube 0.5 mm long, salverform corolla pink to rarely white, the tube 7-10 mm long, each lobe 4-5 mm long, elliptic.

Fruits: Cylindric capsule to 10 mm long.

Ecology: Found in moist soil and gravel areas from 3,000-5,500 ft (914-1676 m); flowers April-May.

Notes: Can be distinguished from the similar C. exaltatum by virtue of the basal rosette, with C. exaltatum having only cauline leaves in pairs that extend to the inflorescence.

Ethnobotany: Unknown

Etymology: Centaurium comes from Latin and is a reference to the Centaur Chiron, while nudicaule means with a bare stem.

Synonyms: Centaurium nudicaule, Centaurium peninsulare, Erythraea nudicaule

Editor: SBuckley, 2010

Plant: annual or biennial herb; 3-23 cm tall; stems angled, winged, simple or branched at the base from a basal rosette of leaves on larger plants

Leaves: of basal rosette 4-15 mm long, oblanceolate to obovate, petiolate; cauline leaves 3-25 mm long, 1-2(-3) pairs, narrow linear lanceolate to elliptic

INFLORESCENCE: cymose

Flowers: 1-several in cymes; pedicels 2.5-5 cm long; calyx lobes linear to linear-lanceolate, 3-8(-10) mm long, the tube 0.5 mm long; corolla pink, rarely white, the tube 7-10 mm long, the lobes 4-5 mm long, elliptic

Fruit: cylindric capsules, to 10 mm long; SEEDS oblong to spherical, finely reticulate

Misc: In moist soil and gravel areas; 900-1600 m (3000-5200 ft); Apr-May

REFERENCES: Mason, Charles T. 1998 Gentianaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. 30(2): 84.