Muhlenberg's centaury (Centaurium muehlenbergii COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 9

Special Significance of the Species

Centaurium muehlenbergii, because of its disjunct distribution in northwestern North America, may represent a relict from the Hypsithermal Interval of warm, dry climate 4,000-6,000 years b.p. No special ecological role has been identified for this species nor has it attracted significant research or public interest.

Most Centaurium species contain phytochemicals, primarily xanthones and secoiridoids (Khafagy and Mnajed 1970). Xanthones are yellow dyes that are pharmacologically active. Secoiridoids are responsible for the bitter taste of many gentians and are used for their digestive properties (G. Mansion, pers. comm.). The closely related C. erythraea, which contains both xanthones and secoiridoids, has a long history of use as a herbal remedy. A translation of a mediaeval Latin poem of the tenth century mentions this species as being powerful against ‘wykked sperytis.' It is also mentioned in a translation of a Slavic medical text from the fifteenth century (Grieve 1992).  More recently, C. erythraea has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antioxidant, antimutagenic and diuretic effects (Berkan et al. 1991, Schimmer and Mauthener 1996) and has been used as part of a herbal preparation to treat hyperglycemia (Petlevski et al. 2001). Other Centaurium species such as C. linarifolium are also known to have medicinal properties (Mandal et al. 1992). Centaurium species are used in the Pacific Northwest by herbalists to prepare a bitter tonic used to treat poor appetite and digestive problems (Moore 1995). However, C. muehlenbergii is not known to have any traditional First Nations uses in B.C. (N. Turner, pers. comm. 2003).

Specimens of Centaurium muhlenbergii found in B.C. may be of special interest genetically, insofar as populations on the periphery of a range are often genetically distinct from the main population. Such populations may be vital to the future survival of species, particularly in the face of global climate change.

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