AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



79 



CEN 



C. tribuloides, the only species, is common 

 on the sandy hills on the coast, or near salt 

 water ; also near the great northern lakes. It 

 is regarded as a troublesome weed, on account 

 of its prickly burrs. 



Centa'urea. The classical name of a plant 

 fabled by Ovid to have cured a wound in the 

 foot of Chiron made by the arrow of Hercules. 

 Nat. Ord. Compositce. 



An extensive genus of hardy herbaceous 

 perennial and annual plants, varying in height 

 from one to five feet, and of nearly every 

 shade of color from yellow to red, blue, or 

 deep purple. As they continue to bloom for a 

 long time, they are well suited for the margin 

 of borders in the flower garden, and some of 

 the dwarf species may be even admitted into 

 beds. The perennial kinds grow in almost any 

 description of soil, nor are the annuals more 

 particular ; they merely require to be sown 

 where they are to remain, being afterward 

 thinned to the proper distances from each 

 other. Centaurea cyanuft, a native of Britain, 

 is the Blue Bottle or Ragged Sailor of our gar- 

 dens. C. candidissima and C. gymnocarpa are 

 natives of the Levant, and are most valuable 

 border plants, their leaves being heavily 

 clothed on both sides with a white, downy 

 covering, which gives them a striking aspect. 

 Propagated by seed sown in January or Feb- 

 ruary in a hot-bed. 



Centauri'dium. Origin of name unknown. Nat. 

 Ord. Compositce. 



The only species of this is C. Drummondi, a 

 Texas plant, free-flowering, and succeeding 

 well in a light soil. Color bright orange. A 

 hardy annual, growing freely from seed. Syn. 

 Xanthisma Texana. 



Ce'ntaury. Erythrcea centaurium. 



Centaury. American. A common name for the 

 genus Sabattia. 



Centrade'nia. From kentron, a spur, and aden, 

 a gland ; having spur-like glandular append- 

 ages to its anthers. Nat. Ord. Melastomacece. 

 Tropical undershmbs and herbaceous per- 

 ennials, C. rosea and grandifolia, natives of 

 Mexico, are moderate-sized, dwarf, spreading 

 plants of easy growth, producing freely in 

 spring close heads of pinkish-white flowers. 

 They require the same treatment as the 

 Fuchsia, and are increased from cuttings. 



Centra'nthus. Bed Valerian. From kentron, a 

 spur, and anthos, a flower; referring to the 

 spur-like process at the base of the flower. 

 Nat. Ord. Valerianacece. 



A small genus of hardy annuals from Gre- 

 nada, and herbaceous perennials from the 

 south of Europe. They are mostly of com- 

 pact habit, free-flowering, and very pretty. 

 The annuals are well adapted for rock-work 

 or ribbon borders, and grow freely in common 

 garden soil. Introduced in 1849. 



Centroclinium. A synonym for Onoseris, which 

 see. 



Centropo'gon. From Jtentron, a spur, andpogon, 

 a beard; in reference to the fringe which 

 envelops the stigma. Nat. Ord. Lobeliacece. 



A small genus of very handsome herbaceous 

 perennials from Surinam and Guatemala. One 

 of the species bears edible fruit. C. tovaricnxis 

 is a very beautiful plant for the green-house, 

 having rosy-crimson flowers, similar in form 



CEP 



to the Lobelias, but of larger size, produced 

 singly on short axillary peduncles. The most 

 popular member of this genus is a hybrid 

 between C. fastuosua and Syphocampyloa betu- 

 Icefolius, and known as C. Lucycmus. It has 

 pretty rosy-carmine, tubular flowers, and 

 from its flowering naturally during the dead 

 of winter it is a most desirable plant. Raised 

 by M. Desponds, of Marseilles, in 1856. They 

 are increased by division or from seed. 



Centrose'ma. Spurred Butterfly Pea. A genus 

 of Leguminosce, consisting of hardy and green- 

 house twining perennial plants, with one 

 exception confined almost exclusively to South 

 America, and mostly to Brazil. The leaves 

 are made up of three leaflets, rarely five or 

 seven, the leaflets opposite and the terminal 

 one rather distant. Some of the species pro- 

 duce large arid elegant pea-like flowers, singly 

 or in axillary racemes ; colors, white, violet, 

 rose or blue. C. Virginianum is widely distrib- 

 uted, the species being common in dry, 

 sandy woods from Maryland southward, also 

 in Brazil and West Africa. All the species are 

 increased readily from seed. Included by 

 many botanists with Kennedya. 



Centroste'mma. A genus of tropical climbing 

 Shrubs, closely allied to Hoya. 



Century -plant. See Agave Americana. 



Cephae'lis. From kephale, a head ; in reference 

 to the arrangement of the flowers. Nat. Ord. 

 Rubiacece. 



Shrubs, rarely perennial herbs, mostly na- 

 tives of Tropical America. C. Ipecacuanha pro- 

 ducing the true Ipecacuanha belongs to this 

 genus, and is a native of Brazil. It is a most 

 ornamental and deciduous shrub, the root 

 of which has been long used in medicine. It 

 is in cultivation, and was introduced in 1839. 



Cephala'nthus. Button Bush. From kephale, 

 a head, and anthos, a flower ; The flowers are 

 disposed in globular heads. Nat. Ord. Rubi- 

 acece. 



A small genus of hardy deciduous shrubs 

 confined to North America, and common in 

 marshy places from the Atlantic to the 

 Pacific coasts, and from Maine to Florida. 

 C. occidenlalis, is a handsome bushy shrub, 

 bearing numerous creamy white flowers, in 

 round heads. 



Cephalota'xus. A small genus of Japanese 

 Coniferee, resembling the Yew in general ap- 

 pearance. C. Fortunei, the best known 

 species, is a tree of medium size, rounded 

 form, dark green foliage, and long, slender, 

 drooping branches. Propagated by seeds or 

 cuttings. 



Cephalo'tus. New Holland Pitcher Plant. 

 From kephalotes, headed ; the filaments of its 

 stamens are capitate. Nat. Ord. Saxifraga- 

 cece. 



C. follicularis, the only species, is a native 

 of swampy places in King George's Sound. It 

 has a very short or contracted stem, with 

 spoon-shaped stalked leaves, among which 

 are mingled small pitcher-like bodies, placed 

 on short, stout stalks, and closed at the top 

 with lid < like the true Pitcher Plants (Nepen- 

 thes). These pitchers are of a green color, 

 spotted with yellow or brown, and provided 

 with hairs. The flowers are white, small, and 

 produced on a long spike. Propagated by 

 offsets. Introduced in 1822. 



