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Lesser Centaury

©Philip Precey

Lesser centaury

Often overlooked, Lesser centaury is a tiny plant of grassy, open habitats like dunes, cliffs, heaths and grasslands. As its name suggests, it is much smaller than its relative, Common centaury.

Scientific name

Centaurium pulchellum

When to see

June to September

Species information

Category

Statistics

Height: 10-15cm
Common.

About

Smaller and more slender than its relative, Common centaury, Lesser centaury is an annual plant that can be found on grassy, open ground, such as sand dunes, coastal cliffs, heathlands and grasslands. It is in bloom between June and September and, like other members of the gentian family, its bright pink flowers close during the afternoon.

How to identify

Lesser centaury has small, bright pink, five-petalled flowers that are held in loose clusters at the top of its branching stems. Unlike the similar Common Centaury, it does not have leaves at the base of its stem, but has narrow, oval leaves that appear in opposite pairs up the stem.

Distribution

Most common in Southern England, but also found along the coasts of North Wales and North West England.

Did you know?

Plants of the centaurium genus have been well used in herbal medicine; Lesser Centaury is best known as a treatment for heartburn and colic.