Centaurium scilloides explained

Centaurium scilloides, also known as perennial centaury is a flowering plant in the family Gentianaceae. It is native to Atlantic Europe (England, western France and the northwestern Iberian Peninsula) and the Azores. Plants from the Azores have white flowers (as opposed to pink) and are genetically different with some treating it as a different species.^{[1] [2]}

Description

It is a perennial, herbaceous species, growing to a maximum height of 15 cm.^[3]

Habitat and distribution

Centaurium scilloides is found on coastal cliffs and dunes grassland.^[4] It grows all along the Atlantic coast of Europe.

It became extinct in England in 1967, but held on in Wales, and there are recent sightings of it in the south of England.^{[5] [6]}

Conservation

As of 2001, its conservation status in 'Endangered' according to the IUCN.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Centaurium scilloides (L.f.) Samp. . . 24 March 2021.
2. Prieto . José Antonio Fernández . Cires . Eduardo . Pérez . René . Bueno . Álvaro . A new endemism for the Azores: the case of Centaurium scilloides (L. f.) Samp. . Plant Systematics and Evolution . . 24 March 2021 . 1867–1879 . en . 10.1007/s00606-012-0687-4 . 1 December 2012. 298 . 10 . 254048642 .
3. https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/centaurium-scilloides Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora - Centaurium scilloides
4. https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/centaurium-scilloides Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora - Centaurium scilloides
5. Web site: The Species Recovery Trust - Lost Life . 2019-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190428193658/http://www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk/LostLife.html . 2019-04-28 . dead .
6. https://bsbi.org/maps The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland
7. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/species/centaurium_scilloides.html Natural History Museum London - Centaurium scilloides