Centaurium tenuiflorum
Slender centaury, Slender Centaury
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Family: Gentianaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Centaurium tenuiflorum (Slender centaury) is a non-native California herb in the Gentianaceae family, recognized by intermediate size, dense flat-topped inflorescence, and non-rosetted basal leaves.
Slender centaury is a naturalized annual found in northwestern California, the northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, central Coast Ranges, and North Coast Ranges in fields, roadsides, and open woodlands at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces delicate pink to white flowers with small lobes 2 to 4.5 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 10 to 75 centimeters tall, it forms an open, branching habit. Its leaves vary from obovate to oblong basal leaves 15 to 25 millimeters long to progressively smaller cauline leaves, with lower leaves elliptic-oblong and upper leaves becoming lance-shaped. The plant forms dense, generally flat-topped clusters of flowers that appear nearly sessile on the stems.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinguished by intermediate size, dense flat-topped inflorescence, and non-rosetted basal leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Fields, roadsides, open woodland
Elevation: < 1800 m
California counties: Humboldt, Marin, San Mateo, Placer, Tehama, Sacramento, Napa, Yuba, Yolo, Calaveras, Santa Cruz, Amador, Merced, Butte, Solano, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Glenn, Trinity, Lassen, Mendocino, Monterey, Colusa, Shasta, Lake, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Nevada, San Diego, El Dorado, Mariposa, Tulare, Madera
Outside California: to Oregon, central United States, native to Eurasia
Bloom period
Centaurium tenuiflorum blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Zeltnera: Centaurium has oval stigmas; Zeltnera has wedge-shaped stigmas (need hand lens).; vs Dianthus: Centaurium has tubular flowers; pinks have notched separate petals.; vs Coleonema: Centaurium is herbaceous; breath-of-heaven is a woody shrub.; vs Eustoma: Centaurium has narrow-tubed flowers; Eustoma has wide bells.; vs Gentianopsis: Centaurium has tiny pink flowers; Gentianopsis has larger fringed petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Centaurium tenuiflorum native to California?
No. Centaurium tenuiflorum is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Centaurium tenuiflorum bloom?
Centaurium tenuiflorum blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Centaurium tenuiflorum grow?
Centaurium tenuiflorum occurs in Humboldt, Marin, San Mateo, Placer, Tehama, Sacramento, Napa, Yuba and other counties, at elevations of < 1800 m.
What plant family does Centaurium tenuiflorum belong to?
Centaurium tenuiflorum is in the Gentianaceae family, genus Centaurium.
What habitat does Centaurium tenuiflorum grow in?
Centaurium tenuiflorum grows in Fields, roadsides, open woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.