si-:.\sini- HiNDWiri) 197 



Cfiitaiiry is a saml plant, ami ^rous in saiul soil on Iicallis and 

 bare ^roinul. 



Centaur) is a looil plant lor /'hrop/iorus Inviiri. 



CiiitauniDii. nioscoritUs, is from tiic Latin, Cciilaur, Chiron llit- 

 Centaur beinj;" reputed to ha\c diseo\tred its metliciiial properties. 

 The second Latin name refers to the umbellate head. 



This plant is called Hanwort, Hitter Llerb, Bloodwort, Centanrx. 

 Little Centaury, Century, Christ's Ladder, Earth-^all, Icltrikc, l"e\er- 

 tew. Mountain Flax, ("lall-of-the-Ivarth, Gentian, I Iui-d-ie\ e. Saneiiiar\'. 

 (Ill the shores ol the Moray I'irth it is called (".entiaii, \\li<re an 

 intusion is drunk as a tonic. 



People used to burn it to e.xpcl seqients. An infusion was usetl to 

 remove freckles. The plant contains a hitter principle like (".entian. 

 It has been u.sed as a tonic and febrifuge, and is a good stomachic. 



EssENTi.\L Spixikic Ch.xracteks: — 



209. CcntaitriuDi innhcllattivi. Gilib. — Stem erect, cjuadrancjular, 

 branched above, lea\es ovate, upper acute, flowers pink, sub-sessile, in 

 corymbose cyme, caly.x less than corolla, lobes ot latter oval. 



Seaside Bindweed (Calystes^ia .Soldanella, l)r.) 



This plant is not found in any ancient deposits. In the North 

 remperate Zone to-day it is lound in Kurope, .South of P>clL;ium, 

 X. .\friia, W. .\sia, and the S. Temperate regions. In liritain it is 

 found around the entire coast, except in E. Sussex, Denbigh, S. Lines, 

 Xorthumberland, Berwick, Fife, as far as Islay, Luit on the west 

 to the .southward, and in the Hebrides. It is native in Irelantl and 

 the Channel Islands. 



The .Seaside Bindweed is a strictly maritime plant, a salt-hner, and 

 dry-soil type, growing on .sandy coasts, where it obtains plenty f)f salt, 

 and where dry conditions are ensured. It is associated with .Sea Kale, 

 .Sea Rocket, Sea Milkwort, .Samphire, and numerous other santl-lo\ ing 

 marine plants. 



This .seaside species differs from other bindweeds in not ha\ ing 

 a climbing but a trailing stem. Its stem is prostrate, then ascending, 

 short, slender, and only rarely twining. The leaves are kidney-shaped 

 or heart-shaped, fleshy, with rounded lobes. The stems are often 

 much below the surface in the .sand. 



The flowers are flesh-coloured, borne on i -flowered llower-stalks, 

 .square, with membranous angle.s. The bracts or leaflike organs are 

 less than the calyx, and egg-shaped. The flowers are large, axillary, 



