E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Zeltnera exaltata (Griseb.) G. Mans
western centaury (desert centaury; tall centaury)
Gentianaceae (Gentian family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Jamie Fenneman  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #14559)

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Distribution of Zeltnera exaltata
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Species Information

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General:
Annual herb from a short taproot; stems 1 to several, simple to branched, 5-35 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves few to several, not forming a tuft, soon deciduous, elliptic-lanceolate to oblanceolate, 5-25 mm long; stem leaves longer and narrower, pointed at the tip.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of a 1 to few flowers on stalks 1-4 cm long; corollas pale pink to nearly white, 9-19 mm long; calyces slender, 6-9 mm long and as long as or longer than the corolla tubes, deeply lobed; anthers 1.5-2.0 mm long and slightly twisted.
Fruits:
Capsules, slender, 12-18 mm long; seeds egg-shaped, honeycombed, pitted, brown.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Moist saline meadows in the steppe zone; rare in SC BC, known only from the Osoyoos area and Kamloops Lake; E to NB and S to UT, NV, AZ and CA.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Centaurium exaltatum (Griseb.) W. Wight ex Piper
Centaurium namophilum
Centaurium nuttallii (S. Watson) A. Heller
Cicendia exaltata Griseb.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References