European centaury (Centaurium erythraea, Danm. Holst. Fl. 2: 75 (1800))

Family: Gentianaceae

Author: Rafn

Bibliography: Danm. Holst. Fl. 2: 75 (1800)

Year: 1800

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Centaurium

Vegetable: False

Observations: Azores, Morocco, Europe to SW. Siberia and Iran, Yemen

Description

The European centaury, scientifically known as Centaurium erythraea, is a small, striking biennial plant that belongs to the family Gentianaceae. This resilient and versatile herb is widely distributed across various regions, including the Azores, Morocco, Europe to southwestern Siberia and Iran, and even as far south as Yemen.

Centaurium erythraea typically thrives in diverse habitats such as grasslands, meadows, and open woodlands, where the soil is well-drained and often calcareous. It is notable for its delicate, eye-catching pink to deep rose-colored flowers, each with a star-shaped corolla that blooms in clusters atop slender branches. The plant’s blooming season generally falls between late spring and early autumn, when it gracefully adorns fields and roadsides with its charming florals.

Historically, the European centaury has been appreciated not only for its aesthetic appeal but also for its valuable medicinal properties. Traditional herbalists have long utilized this herb as a remedy for various ailments. It has been particularly esteemed for its bitter compounds, including gentiopicrin, which have been used to aid digestion and stimulate appetite. Furthermore, its anti-inflammatory and febrifuge properties have made it a popular choice for treating fevers and general digestive disturbances.

The botanical name and description of Centaurium erythraea were comprehensively documented in the work of Rafn, published in Danm. Holst. Fl. 2: 75 in the year 1800. This historical reference underscores the plant’s longstanding recognition and scholarly interest within the botanical community.

In terms of morphology, Centaurium erythraea features a basal rosette of elliptical to oblong leaves, which give rise to erect, branching stems that can reach heights ranging from 10 to 50 centimeters. The leaves and stems are smooth and glabrous, contributing to the plant’s elegant and clean appearance. The European centaury is also glycosidic; it produces glycosides that deter herbivores, thus playing a significant role in the plant’s defense mechanisms.

Due to its adaptability and medicinal importance, European centaury continues to be studied and preserved, with efforts often directed toward understanding its ecological roles and potential applications in modern herbal medicine. As a herald of simple beauty and enduring utility, Centaurium erythraea holds a cherished place both in nature and traditional pharmacopeia.

Common Names

Eng: centaury, common centaury, european centaury, dumpy centaury
Deu: echtes tausendgüldenkraut, gemeines tausendgüldenkraut, kopfiges tausendgüldenkraut
Dan: mark-tusindgylden
Swe: bredarun, flockarun
Nld: echt duizendguldenkruid
Fra: erythrée petite centaurée, petite-centaurée commune, petite centaurée, petite-centaurée rouge, érythrée, érythrée petite-centaurée
Nob: skjermgylden
Nno: skjermgylden
Cym: arlladlys, bustl y ddaear, canrhi goch, canri goch, llysiau’r bleurwg, llysiau’r lleurwg, y ganrhi goch, ysgo crist, ysgol fair
En: European centaury, Common centaury, Centaury, Drug centaury, Dumpy Centaury
Hy: Դառնալեղի էրիտրեա
Az: Kiçik qızılçətir
Ba: Һарыгүҙ
Eu: Belarmin
Be: Цвінтарэй звычайны
Bg: Червен кантарион
Ca: Herba de Santa Margarida, Centaura menor
Zh: 日本鬼灯檠, 日本鬼燈檠
Kw: Skeul Varia
Hr: Kičica
Cs: Zeměžluč hořká, Zeměžluč okolíkatá
Da: Mark-Tusindgylden
Nl: Echt duizendguldenkruid
Eo: Eritreo
Et: Harilik maasapp
Fi: Rohtosappi
Fr: Herbe à Chiron, Petite-centaurée commune, Petite-centaurée rouge, Petite-centaurée, Erythrée petite centaurée, Érythrée, Petite centaurée, Érythrée petite-centaurée, Herbe à la fièvre, Herbe à mille florins, Herbe au centaure, Gentianelle, Petite centaurée commune, Erythrée
Ka: Ასისთავა
De: Kopfiges Tausendgüldenkraut, Echtes Tausendgüldenkraut, Echtes Tausendguldenkraut, Gemeines Tausendgüldenkraut
He: ערבז סוככני
Hu: Kis ezerjófű
Ga: Dréimire Muire
It: Centauro maggiore, Centaurea minore, Erythraea centaurium, Erythrea centaurium, Centauro
Kk: Шатырша толғақшөп
Ko: 센토리
Lv: Centaurium umbellatum, Čemuru augstiņš
Lt: Skėtinė širdažolė
Mk: Црвен кантарион
Ml: സെന്റോറിയം എറിത്രിയ
No: Skjermgylden
Nb: Skjermgylden
Nn: Skjermgylden
Os: Аууондархуыз
Fa: قنطوریون صغیر
Pl: Tysiącznik, Centaurium minus, Centuria pospolita, Centuria zwyczajna, Tysiącznik pospolity
Pt: Fel-da-terra, Centaurium majus, Centaurium minus, Erythraea centaurium
Ro: Centaurium umbellatum, Ţintaură, Țintaură
Ru: Золототысячник обыкновенный
Sr: Centaurium umbellatum, Кичица
Sk: Zemežlč menšia
Es: Navadna tavžentroža, Tavžentroža, Aciano, Amargosa, Centaura menor roja, Centaura menor, Centaura, Centaurea menor, Centáurea menor, Cintoria de oro, Cintoria, Eritrea, Escobilla, Genciana blanca, Gota de sangre, Hiel de la tierra, Hiel de tierra, Hiel del campo, Hierba amargosa, Hierba de guirón, Hierba de la liebre, Hierba pedorrera, Lapicocho, Sanginaria, Santaura, Siete sangrías, Yel de la tierra, Yerba amargosa, Yerba margosa, Amargón
Sv: Flockarun, Bredarun
Zh-tw: 日本鬼燈檠
Zh-hant: 日本鬼燈檠
Uk: Centaurium umbellatum, Золототисячник малий, Сардушник, Семисильник, Центурія
Cy: Y ganrhi goch, Arlladlys, Bustl y Ddaear, Canrhi Goch, Canri Goch, Llysiau’r Bleurwg, Llysiau’r Lleurwg, Ysgo Crist, Ysgol Fair

Synonyms

• Centaurium centaurium ((L.) W.Wight ex Piper)
• Chironia centaurium ((L.) F.W.Schmidt)
• Gonipia linearis (Raf.)
• Erythraea vulgaris (Gray)
• Erythraea centaurium ((L.) Pers.)
• Gentiana centaurium (L.)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Albania (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Altay (native)
• Austria (native)
• Azores (native)
• Baleares (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Corse (native)
• Cyprus (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• France (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Krym (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• Yemen (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Brazil South (introduced)
• Brazil Southeast (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Canary Is. (introduced)
• Costa Rica (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• New South Wales (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Newfoundland (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• Northern Territory (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Queensland (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• Réunion (introduced)
• South Australia (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Victoria (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Western Australia (introduced)

Additional Images

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Flower

Taken May 5, 2018 by katerinatzoy (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 3, 2018 by Manuel Ortiz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 7, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 26, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 25, 2017 by Christine Dusevel (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Jun 28, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 28, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 9, 2021 by beurny (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 26, 2020 by Audrey Maurin (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 26, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jun 28, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 23, 2018 by 1 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 26, 2020 by Audrey Maurin (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 6, 2019 by Niko (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 9, 2021 by beurny (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Apr 24, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Ans GORTER (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 30, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Nicolas SENNAVOINE (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 26, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Jean-Jacques HOUDRÉ (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 21, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Dominique REMAUD (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 27, 2018 by huy HO (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Jun 18, 2020 by Dabronzo Carlo (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2022 by Gaël Covain (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 29, 2019 by Renaud Brochiero (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 26, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Jean-Jacques HOUDRÉ (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 26, 2021 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Aug 3, 2021 by Christine Perroux (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 21, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 21, 2020 by Dome0815 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 21, 2022 by Francois Mansour (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 3, 2021 by Pierre LEON (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5414457)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:326619-2)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Centaurium erythraea Rafn)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.0

Ph minimum: 6.5

Light: 8

Atmospheric humidity: 7

Bloom months: [‘jun’, ‘jul’, ‘aug’, ‘sep’]

Soil nutriments: 5