Schenkia spicata
Encyclopedia
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
.
It was first published as Gentiana spicata by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 Species plantarum
. It was later transferred into Erythraea and then Centaurium
, under a broad circumscription of the latter genus that was subsequently found to be polyphyletic. In 2004 Centaurium was split into four genera, with C. spicatum becoming Schenkia spicata. At the same time, it was noted that European and Australian specimens ascribed to this species are in fact different taxa; for example, all Australian specimens studied were tetraploid, whereas all European specimens studied were diploid. Therefore the Australian specimens were segregated into a new species, Schenkia australis
.
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 has a very wide old world
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
distribution, ranging from north Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, through Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and into Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
It was first published as Gentiana spicata by Carl Linnaeus in his 1753 Species plantarum
Species Plantarum
Species Plantarum was first published in 1753, as a two-volume work by Carl Linnaeus. Its prime importance is perhaps that it is the primary starting point of plant nomenclature as it exists today. This means that the first names to be considered validly published in botany are those that appear...
. It was later transferred into Erythraea and then 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...
, under a broad circumscription of the latter genus that was subsequently found to be polyphyletic. In 2004 Centaurium was split into four genera, with C. spicatum becoming Schenkia spicata. At the same time, it was noted that European and Australian specimens ascribed to this species are in fact different taxa; for example, all Australian specimens studied were tetraploid, whereas all European specimens studied were diploid. Therefore the Australian specimens were segregated into a new species, Schenkia australis
Schenkia australis
Schenkia australis is a species of annual herb in the Gentianaceae family. It is endemic to Australia.-Description:S. australis grows as an annual, or rarely biannual, herb, from 2 to 30 centimetres high...
.