Irish wildflowers BSBI map

Centaury, Centaurium erythraea, Dréimire Mhuire
Photographs: Co. Cork

Centaury
Centaurium erythraea
Dréimire Mhuire
Family: Gentianaceae

Flowering time: June - October. Annual. Native.

Pinkish-red umbel of flowers, usually 5-lobed, the anthers twisting at fruiting time. Leaves in basal rosette, obvate (egg-shaped), with smaller, narrower stem leaves. Smaller, compact forms also occur. Height can be very variable 5-50cm.

Throughout Ireland on dry banks, roadsides, sand dunes.

Similar: Lesser Centaury, C. pulchellum. Smaller, no basal leaf rosette. Very rare in Ireland

Centaury, Centaurium erythraea, Dréimire Mhuire

Centaury, Centaurium erythraea, Dréimire Mhuire
Centaury, Centaurium erythraea, Dréimire Mhuire

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