Zeltnera davyi
Davy's centaury
(c) Jerry Kirkhart, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Gentianaceae · Type: Annual · Native
Zeltnera davyi (Davy's centaury) is a native California annual in the Gentianaceae family, recognized by short pedicels and rounded corolla tips diagnostic.
Davy's centaury is a California native annual found in coastal bioregions including the North Coast, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, southern coastal ranges, and Channel Islands in moist coastal bluffs, dunes, and open forest at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces delicate white to pale pink flowers with rounded petals 3 to 7 millimeters long. Growing 2 to 30 centimeters tall with an open, branching structure, it develops thin, upright stems. Its cauline leaves are elliptic to ovate, measuring 8 to 25 millimeters long, positioned along the stem with a soft green coloration. The flower's distinctive calyx lobes are keeled, creating a subtle architectural profile to the plant's delicate blooms.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; short pedicels and rounded corolla tips diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist coastal bluffs, dunes, open forest
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, El Dorado, Santa Clara, Mendocino, Napa, Marin, Sonoma
Bloom period
Zeltnera davyi blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Centaurium: Zeltnera has wedge-shaped stigmas; Centaurium has oval stigmas (need hand lens).; vs Calandrinia: Zeltnera has tubular gentian flowers; Calandrinia has separate petals.; vs Sabatia: Zeltnera has narrow flower tubes; marsh pink has rotate flowers.; vs Clarkia: Zeltnera has tubular flowers; Clarkia has four separate petals.; vs Leptosiphon: Zeltnera has pink/white flowers; Leptosiphon often multicolored with very narrow tubes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zeltnera davyi native to California?
Yes. Zeltnera davyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Zeltnera davyi bloom?
Zeltnera davyi blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Zeltnera davyi grow?
Zeltnera davyi occurs in Monterey, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and other counties, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Zeltnera davyi belong to?
Zeltnera davyi is in the Gentianaceae family, genus Zeltnera.
What habitat does Zeltnera davyi grow in?
Zeltnera davyi grows in Moist coastal bluffs, dunes, open forest.
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.