Centaurium spicatum, (L.) Fritsch

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1972, Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 59

13. C. spicatum (L.) Fritsch , M itt. Naturw. Ver. Wien 5: 97 (1907)

( Erythraea spicata (L.) Pers. ).

Annual or biennial 10-55 cm, with a more or less caducous basal leaf-rosette. Stem usually branched from the base or middle. Rosette-leaves broadly ovate. Cauline leaves elliptic-oblong to lanceolate, 3- to indistinctly 5-veined. Flowers 12-14 mm. Calyx nearly equalling the corolla-tube. Corolla-lobes c. 4-5 mm. Stamens inserted at or below the apex of the corolla-tube. 2« = 22. Damp grassy or sandy places near the sea. S. Europe. Al BI Bu Co Cr Ga G r Hs It Ju Lu Rm Rs (W, K, E) Sa Si Tu.

Variants with scabridulous leaf-margins, bracts and calyx, occurring in Bulgaria, Kriti and Turkey, have been separated from 13 as C. subspicatum (Velen.) Ronniger , M itt. Naturw. Ver. Steierm. 52: 321 (1916). Since many transitions occur between them, the status of this taxon is uncertain.