Determined according to the botanical key provided by Melderis in Tutin et al. (1972) and Matevski in Matevski (2010).
Species variability: Two subspecies of Centaurium erythraea Rafn occur in the Osogovo region: Centaurium erythraea Rafn subsp. erythraea and Centaurium erythraea subsp. turcicum (Velen.) Melderis. Both are quite similar, the main distinguishing feature being the scabridity in subsp. turcicum:
-subsp. erythraea: plant completely glabrous.
-subsp. turcicum: margin of leaves, bracts, upper part of stem and calyx scabrid.
Lifeform: Biennial plant. First year is vegetative characterized by formation of basal rosette. Second year is generative – flowering and fruiting. Basal rosette persists during flowering.
Distribution:Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea is native to Azores, Morocco, Europe to Southwest Siberia and Iran, Yemen according to the distribution information provided by the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).
Habitat: Grasslands, pastures, bushlands, edges and clearings of forests.
Flowering period: Summer: JUN, JUL.
Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – habit in habitat. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – habit. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – habit. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – inflorescence. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – inflorescence. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – inflorescence. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – flowers. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – flowers. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – flowers. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – flowers. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – side view of flowers with calyx; bracts. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – stems with leaves. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – stem with leaves. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – abaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea –basal rosette and root. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Centaurium erythraea subsp. erythraea – basal leaves. Osogovo – near village of Rajchani, 02.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
Centaurium Hill. Matevski, V. in Matevski, V. (2010). The Flora of the Republic of Macedonia Vol. II, Book 1. Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, pp. 26 – 31.
Centaurium Hill. Melderis, A. in Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M. & Webb, D.A. (1964). Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiaceae to Myoporaceae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 56 – 59.
