CORNFLOWER AND CAMPION 67 



Feverfew (Matricaria inodora), Plate V., Fig. 4. 

 Its threadlike, branching leaves and aromatic 

 odonr serve to distinguish it. The juice of 

 this plant has tonic properties, which make 

 it useful as a febrifuge, hence the title 

 ' feverfew ' ; but the introduction of powerful 

 exotic drugs has diminished the medicinal 

 repute of our native herbs. 



A flower so beautiful, that it has been 

 introduced into gardens, is the Blue-bottle, 

 or Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus\ Plate III., 

 Fig. 2. It is especially plentiful among 

 wheat, where it spots the field with points 

 of blue of a shade so distinctive that 

 ' cornflower blue ' is a recognized tint. 

 Occasionally the flower is rose or white. 

 The genus to which it belongs has a repu- 

 tation for healing properties, and from a 

 legend that one of them was used by the 

 Centaur Chiron to heal his wounded foot, 

 the group has been called Centaurea. 



The Campions Eose (Lychnis dioica) and 

 White (Lychnis vespertind) Plate III., Fig. 3, 

 are showy flowers. The latter is called the 

 Evening Campion, because it opens towards 

 evening and breathes forth a perfume after 



