94 COMMON CENTAURY. 



close ; and one who was previously unac- 

 quainted with the plant, would suppose that it 

 as yet had but its unexpanded buds. It is so 

 difficult of cultivation, that it seems almost 

 impossible to rear it in a garden, or it would 

 make a pretty border flower. This is the case 

 with all the species. 



It is commonly said by botanists, that we 

 have fom- Avikl species of Centaury ; but they 

 differ so little from each other, that some have 

 thought they should all be included in one, 

 and that the slight differences may all be ac- 

 counted for by variety of soil and situation. 

 In all are found the same rose-coloured clus- 

 ters of flowers, and the same light green, bitter 

 stems and leaves. The Dwarf Centaury {Ery- 

 thrcea pulchella) rarely exceeds six inches in 

 height, and grows on sandy shores ; and the 

 Dwarf tufted Centaury {Eri/ thrcea littoralis) 

 is found in similar places. The Broad-leaved 

 tufted Centaury [ErythrcBa latifolid) is more 

 unlike the common species than either of the 

 others, having its cluster of blossoms in a 

 dense tuft. 



