Irish wildflowers BSBI map

Lesser Centaury, Centaurium pulchellum, Dréimire beag
Bull Island, Co. Dublin. © Gerry Flannery

Lesser Centaury
Centaurium pulchellum
Dréimire beag
Family: Gentianaceae


Flowering June-August. Annual. Native.

Spreading inflorescence of small pink flowers on stalks 1-4mm long. The petals are narrow and the corolla tube is longer than the calyx. Stems are branched or unbranched but there is no basal rosette of leaves present at flowering time. A small, slender plant, usually only 5-10cm tall.

Very rare, found on coastal dunes in Counties Dublin, Wexford and Waterford. Identification confirmed by Paul Green

Similar: Common Centaury, Centaurium erythyraea

Lesser Centaury, Centaurium pulchellum, Dréimire beag
Lesser Centaury, Centaurium pulchellum, Dréimire beag

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