/ i f C 4^7 1
C H I R O N I A Centaurium.
Common Centaury.
P E N T A N D R I A Monogynla.
G e n . C h a r . Corolla falver-fhaped. Stamina inferted
into the tube. Anthera becoming fpiral. Style
declining. Seed-vejfel of two indexed valves.
S p e c . C h a r . Stem herbaceous, dichotomoufly pa-
nicled. Leaves ovato-lanceolate. Calyx fhorter
than the tube.
S y n . Chironia Centaurium. Cart. Lond. fafc. 4- t. 22.
With. Bot. Arr. ed. 3. *u. 2. 2 55. Sihth. Ox. 75.
Woodv. Med. Bot. t. 157* , .
Gentiana Centaurium. Linn. Sp. P i. 3312" yy11^ '
An. 102. Relb. Cant. 100. Dickf. H. Sicc. fafc.
7 . 3.
Centaurium minus. Rail Syn. 286.
A FREQUENT inhabitant of dry gravelly or chalky paf-
tures, fcarcely to be cultivated in a manured foil, flowering in
the latter part of fummer; its blofloms clofe as foon as gathered,
and againft rain. ,
Root fmall, branching, annual. Stem folitary, erect, about
a foot high, with 4 fharp edges, leafy, terminating in feveral op-
pofite, forked, flowering-branches, which altogether form an
upright panicle. Leaves oppofite, feflile, entire, 3-nerved, the
radical ones fomewhat fpatulate, the reft lanceolate or e lptica
Each flower is feflile, ereft, with a greenilh tube, and beautiful
pink-coloured polilhed limb. Segments of the calyx narrow
and fharp, about half as long as the tube, to which they
adhere. Antherse incumbent, twifting into a fpiral form as
they ripen, which is eflential to a true Chironia, though not ob-
fervable in all that Linmeus has called fo 5 fee leones piBa plant,
rar. tab. 18. The ftyle is declining ; ftigma capitate, with a
tranfverfe notch. The whole herb is fmooth, very bitter, well
known among ruftic pra&itioners as a ftomachic by the name
of Lefler Centaury. . . . . .
Mr. Curtis firft referred this plant to its right genus, but
negleded to give it a fpecific charader, the definition for
which Dr. Sibthorp quotes him having been given by Lmnseus,
and intended to diftinguilh it from other fpecies of Gentiana,
not of Chironia. Botanifts are often ftrangely incorrea about
eflential charaaers. They indeed require genius and accuracy,
but they are the perfeaion of the art.-------y-Dr. Stokes has
made feveral excellent remarks on this plant in the 2d edition
of Withering.