Schenkia australis
Encyclopedia
Schenkia australis is a species of annual herb in the Gentianaceae
family. It is endemic to Australia
.
in his 1810 Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae, under the name Erythraea australis. In 1917 the name it was transferred into Centaurium
as C. australe by George Claridge Druce
, on the grounds that Erythraea was an illegitimate later synonym of Centaurium. In 1928 Karel Domin
resurrected Erythraea, transferring this species back into it, but at the same time demoting it to a variety of Erythraea spicata (now Schenkia spicata
). Eventually it was restored to Centaurium for a second time.
In 1996, it was decided that Centaurium australis could not be differentiated from Centaurium spicatum (now Schenkia spicata), and the two were merged under the latter name. This was overturned, however, in 2004, based on strong evidence that Australia specimens of C. spicatum are not the same taxon as European specimens; specifically, all Australian specimens studied were tetraploid, whereas all European specimens studied with diploid. The same study also split Centaurium into four genera, with C. spicatum moving into Schenkia
as S. spicata
. Thus the Australian specimens were given the name Schenkia australis.
Australian herbaria have been slow to take up these nomenclatural changes. As of 2008, the Western Australian Herbarium
still attributes their specimens to Centaurium spicatum, and the National Herbarium of New South Wales uses Schenkia spicata. However the most recent update to the Census of Australian Vascular Plants uses Schenkia australis, as does the Australian Plant Census.
. It prefers damp sandy soils.
Gentianaceae
Gentianaceae are a family of flowering plants of 87 genera and over 1500 species. Flowers are actinomorphic and bisexual with fused sepals and petals. The stamens are attached to the inside of the petals and alternate with the corolla lobes. There is a glandular disk at the base of the gynoecium,...
family. It is endemic to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Description
S. australis grows as an annual, or rarely biannual, herb, from 2 to 30 centimetres high. Flowers are pink, red or yellow.Taxonomy
This species was first published by Robert BrownRobert Brown (botanist)
Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
in his 1810 Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae, under the name Erythraea australis. In 1917 the name it was transferred into Centaurium
Centaurium
Centaurium is a genus of 20 species in the gentian family , tribe Chironieae, subtribe Chironiinae. The genus was named after the centaur Chiron, famed in Greek mythology for his skill in medicinal herbs...
as C. australe by George Claridge Druce
George Claridge Druce
George Claridge Druce, MA, LLD, JP, FRS, FLS was an English botanist and a Mayor of Oxford.G. Claridge Druce was born at Potterspury on Watling Street in Northamptonshire. He was the illegitimate son of Jane Druce, born 1815 in Buckinghamshire.He went to school in the village of Yardley Gobion....
, on the grounds that Erythraea was an illegitimate later synonym of Centaurium. In 1928 Karel Domin
Karel Domin
Karel Domin was a Czech botanist and politician.After gymnasium school studies in Příbram, he studied botany at the Charles University in Prague, and graduated in 1906. In 1916 he was named as professor of botany. Domin specialised in phytogeography, geobotany and plant taxonomy...
resurrected Erythraea, transferring this species back into it, but at the same time demoting it to a variety of Erythraea spicata (now Schenkia spicata
Schenkia spicata
Schenkia spicata is a species of annual herb in the Gentianaceae family. It has a very wide old world distribution, ranging from north Africa, through Europe and into Asia....
). Eventually it was restored to Centaurium for a second time.
In 1996, it was decided that Centaurium australis could not be differentiated from Centaurium spicatum (now Schenkia spicata), and the two were merged under the latter name. This was overturned, however, in 2004, based on strong evidence that Australia specimens of C. spicatum are not the same taxon as European specimens; specifically, all Australian specimens studied were tetraploid, whereas all European specimens studied with diploid. The same study also split Centaurium into four genera, with C. spicatum moving into Schenkia
Schenkia
Schenkia is a genus of flowering plants in the gentian family, Gentianaceae. It is sometimes included in the genus Centaurium.-Selected species:*Schenkia australis G.Mans....
as S. spicata
Schenkia spicata
Schenkia spicata is a species of annual herb in the Gentianaceae family. It has a very wide old world distribution, ranging from north Africa, through Europe and into Asia....
. Thus the Australian specimens were given the name Schenkia australis.
Australian herbaria have been slow to take up these nomenclatural changes. As of 2008, the Western Australian Herbarium
Western Australian Herbarium
The Western Australian Herbarium is the State Herbarium in Perth, Western Australia, Western Australia. It is part of the State government's Department of Environment and Conservation, and has responsibility for the description and documentation of the flora of Western Australia.The Herbarium is...
still attributes their specimens to Centaurium spicatum, and the National Herbarium of New South Wales uses Schenkia spicata. However the most recent update to the Census of Australian Vascular Plants uses Schenkia australis, as does the Australian Plant Census.
Common name
Since Australian specimens were previously ascribed to Centaurium spicatum, they were referred to by that species' common name, Spike Centaury. It remains to be seen whether this common name will continue to be applied in Australia now that the Australian specimens have been segregated into their own species.Distribution and habitat
Endemic to Australia, it is widespread on the mainland, occurring in all mainland states. It is most common in Western AustraliaWestern Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. It prefers damp sandy soils.