208 FLORA HISTORICA. 



ginally called Blueblow. Dr. Turner calls it 

 Blewblawe in 1564, as well as Blewbottle ; and the 

 latter appears a corruption from the former, since 

 there is nothing in the shape of the flower that caii 

 possibly remind us of a bottle. Dr. Turner ob- 

 serves, that '' some herbaries call it Baptisecula^ or 

 JBlaptisecula, because it hurteth sides, which were 

 once called of olde writers SeculcE,'''' 



Gerard observes, that it is called " Blewebottle, 

 Bleweblow, Corneflower, and Hurtsickle." He 

 adds, " it is sowen in gardens, which, by cunning 

 looking to, doth oftentimes become of other co- 

 lours, and some also double." In Scotland it is 

 called Blue Bonnets ; in German, Dutch, Swedish, 

 and Danish, Kornhlume ; in French, Bluet ; in 

 Italian and Portuguese, Ciano ; in Spanish, Aciano 

 Azuleio. 



A beautiful blue, almost equal to ultramarine, 

 may be obtained from the Cyanus. After collect- 

 ing a quantity of these flowers, pick out the petals 

 or florets from the centre of the flower, which are 

 of a darker blue than those of the outside, and 

 pound them whilst quite fresh in a glass or marble 

 mortar so as to obtain the juice, to which add a 

 small quantity of alum, and then put it into clean 

 shells for use. The outer florets give a blue of a 

 paler colour. 



The Cyanus is a hardy annual plant, that will 



