Centaurium maritimum (L.) Fritsch

Family: GENTIANACEAE

Genus: Centaurium

Catalan common name: Herba de Sant Domènec.

Province distribution: Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Girona. Tarragona.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Formentera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Therophytic calicole fields. Therophytic silicolous fields. Humid soils.

Characteristics: A small erect plant with opposite elliptic leaves and forms flowers in the upper portions of the plant with five petals in the form a star, yellow in colour. It is an annual plant that lives on humid substrates, above all if absent in carbonates. Can be confused with Blackstonia perfoliata, but the two can be easily told apart as the latter?s leaves are opposite and fused to the base, while Centaurium maritimum the leaves are free. Flowers at the end of spring.