''Zeltnera muehlenbergii'' is a species of annual herb commonly known as Monterey centaury and Muhlenberg's centaury. It is native to western North America from
British Columbia to
California and
Nevada, where it commonly grows in forests and other moist places. This is an annual herb growing thin, erect, branching stems to heights anywhere between 10 centimeters and one meter. Oval-shaped leaves are arranged oppositely on the stem and are up to 2 or 3 centimeters long. The branching
inflorescence bears many flowers, each with small
bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
s at its base. The flower has five oval-shaped petallike lobes each a few millimeters long.
Until 2004 it was placed in genus ''
Centaurium''.
References
External links
Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants ProfilePhoto gallery
muehlenbergii
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