INTERMEDIATE CENTAURY
Centaurium erythraea x littorale
Centaurium × intermedium
Gentian Family [Gentianaceae] 
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Gentian Family [Gentianaceae]
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status
flower
flower
inner
inner
morph
petals
(4)-5stem
_2018_07_21_Ainsdale_GreenBeach_Botanisin_260p8.jpg)
| 21st July 2018, Green Beach, Ainsdale, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| The cross between Seaside Centaury and Common Centaury, with features intermediate betwixt the two. In Lancashire where these are backcrossing with both parents fertile plants are the result, but otherwise the cross has low fertility. (The white petals are in the process of decay - rather than being un-opened white flowers) |
_2014_08_09_Hightown_south_circ_282p8.jpg)
| 9th Aug 2014, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| It is fairly pointless commenting on the features because they will vary depending how much variance there is between the two parents and their possible back-crosses. |
_2018_07_21_Ainsdale_GreenBeach_Botanisin_249p3.jpg)
| 21st July 2018, Green Beach, Ainsdale, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
_2018_07_21_Ainsdale_GreenBeach_Botanisin_252p5.jpg)
| 21st July 2018, Green Beach, Ainsdale, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| The pale petals are because the petals are in the process of withering. |
_2014_08_09_Hightown_south_circ_287p9.jpg)
| 9th Aug 2014, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| A rather short specimen. |
[scabridSepal]_2018_07_21_Ainsdale_GreenBeach_Botanisin_257p2.jpg)
| 21st July 2018, Green Beach, Ainsdale, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| The 5 yellow anthers on thin white filaments, seen before the anthers twist into a tight spiral. Two stigmas atop a single style. |
[scabridSepal]_2018_07_21_Ainsdale_GreenBeach_Botanisin_257p7.jpg)
| 21st July 2018, Green Beach, Ainsdale, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| The sepals and corolla tube are scabrid (rough to the touch due to the presence of tiny stiff hairs). |
| 9th Aug 2014, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| The brown cylinders alongside are the fruits. |
_2014_08_09_Hightown_south_circ_278p5.jpg)
| 9th Aug 2014, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Here the yellow anthers have twisted into a tight spiral, which happens to all(?) Centaurys after the flower has opened. |
_2014_08_09_Hightown_south_circ_280p6.jpg)
| 9th Aug 2014, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Some stems square, with either a few ridges or very short wings on the corners (not diagnostic; all Centauries seem to variously have square stems with stubby wings and rounded stems elsewhere). |
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This is the hybrid between Seaside Centaury (Centaurium littorale) and Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) which is called simply Centaurium × intermedium and it has characteristics almost anywhere inbetween both parents.
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 Centaurium
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intermedium
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⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ |
Gentianaceae
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 Centaurium (Centauries) |
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Gentian Family [Gentianaceae]
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BSBI maps