Zeltnera exaltata
Tall centaury, desert centaury, Desert Centaury
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Family: Gentianaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Zeltnera exaltata (Tall centaury) is a native California herb in the Gentianaceae family, recognized by elevation, height, and 4-merous flowers diagnostic.
Tall centaury is a California native annual found in the northeastern California, southern Coast Ranges, San Gabriel Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and western edge of the Sonoran Desert in moist, generally alkaline scrub at elevations of 900 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces delicate white to pale pink flowers with lance-oblong lobes 2.5 to 7 millimeters long. Growing 10 to 60 centimeters tall with slender, upright stems, it forms a distinctive rosette of similar leaves at its base. Its leaves are oblong-elliptic to linear, measuring 10 to 30 millimeters long, arranged uniformly along the stem. The plant features an open inflorescence with flower pedicels typically 10 to 70 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; elevation, height, and 4-merous flowers diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist, generally alkaline scrub
Elevation: 900-2200 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tehama, Santa Barbara, Modoc, Fresno, Lassen, Riverside, Inyo, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Kern, Mendocino, San Benito
Outside California: to southern British Columbia, New Brunswick, Mexico
Bloom period
Zeltnera exaltata 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 exaltata native to California?
Yes. Zeltnera exaltata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Zeltnera exaltata bloom?
Zeltnera exaltata blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Zeltnera exaltata grow?
Zeltnera exaltata occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tehama, Santa Barbara, Modoc, Fresno, Lassen and other counties, at elevations of 900-2200 m.
What plant family does Zeltnera exaltata belong to?
Zeltnera exaltata is in the Gentianaceae family, genus Zeltnera.
What habitat does Zeltnera exaltata grow in?
Zeltnera exaltata grows in Moist, generally alkaline scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.