Centaurium in depth

Requests about identification of wild plants in Malta and Gozo. (Please include precise details and pictures to help the experts in their ID process)

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Centaurium in depth

Post by MWP admin »

At first glance the specimen below looks as Centaurium erythraea, but on reading the bible, doubts cropped in.

C. erythraea have corymb-like cyme, sessile flowers, basal rosette, 4.5mm long petals.

The other key leading to C. pulchellum or C. tenuiflorum says dichasial cyme, with pedicellate flowers. Lacks or have a weak basal rosette.


I think the inflor shown in the photo is a dichasial cyme not corymb,
Image

Cant say if flowers have pedicels, and the leaves are a bit high (cauline) rather than basal rosette.


If really not C. erythraea, the choice is between C pulchellum vs C. tenuiflorum, and depends between the position of the branching formation (low vs upper) and no. of internodes (3-4 vs 5-9)

The branching is almost along entire main stem (but more dense below) while if 'internodes' are branchings from main stem, then there are about 4-5!!

What do you think about this plant? C. pulchellum, C. tenuiflorum, C erythraea ?
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jackpot
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Post by jackpot »

I suppose C erythraea (due to the rosette etc).
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Post by MWP admin »

Today I have seen a typical C. erythrae and the inflorescence was also more or less dichasial cyme :!: :?: So I also suppose that the photo just shows C. erythraea, maybe a bit atypical

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