Gentianaceae

Centaurium muehlenbergii

Monterey Centaury

Erect, slender. Basal leaves none or few, egg-shaped, 1/4–3/4 in. long; stem leaves sessile, smaller. Flowers few at stem top, each sessile or on short stalk with 2 bracts. Flowers funnel-shaped, with 5 lobes, pink to white, stigma at top of pistil oblong. Grows in moist open places in forests at low elevations. A common native often confused with C. erythraea, which has a more conspicuous basal rosette of leaves and many flowers in crowded clusters.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: All Summer
• Life Cycle: Annual, Biennial
• Height: 1--12 inches
• Habitat: Vernal Wet, Meadow, East-Side Forest, Shrub-Steppe
• Found In:
• Native: Yes