GEWTIANACE^E. 459 



European Centaury, as the flowers as well as the leaves are active. It has 

 long been known and employed as a domestic remedy, and is also generally 

 admitted in regular practice where a pure and simple bitter is required. 



Medical Properties. — A pure bitter and tonic, with no astringency and 

 very little aroma. It is much used as a stomachic, and has been found bene- 

 ficial in intermittents, especially if the intervals between the paroxysms are 

 sufficient to require tonics, but not such as would warrant the employment 

 of Quinia. It is also said to act as an emmenagogue and vermifuge when 

 given in warm infusion. The usual mode of administration is in cold in- 

 fusion,. made with an ounce of the herb to a pint of boiling water, and al- 

 lowed to cool ; the dose is a wineglassful every two hours. The dose of the 

 powder is from thirty grains to a drachm. (Chapman, Therap. ii. 425.) 



Erythr^ea. — Per soon. 



Calyx 5-parted, equal. Corolla infundibuliform, with a cylindrical tube, marceseent. 

 Stamens 5 ; anthers becoming spiral. Stigmas bi-lamellate. Capsule one-celled, or half 

 two-celled. 



This genus also formed part of Chironia of Linnccus, and is closely allied 

 to the foregoing. It consists of annual herbs, with subangular branches, fur- 

 nished with connate leaves, and white or rose-coloured flowers. They are 

 all bitter and tonic. 



E. centaurium, Pefsoon. — Stem nearly simple. Panicle forked, corymbose. Leaves 

 ovate-lanceolate. Calyx half as long as corolla, segments partly connected by a mem- 

 brane. 



Linn., (Chironia,) Sp. PI. 332 ; Woodville, t. 157 ; Stephenson and 

 Churchill, ii. 118 ; Persoon, Synop. i. 283 ; Lindley, Flor. Med. 521. 



Common Names.— Common Centaury ; Lesser Centaury. 



Foreign Names. — Petite Centauree, Fr. ; Centaurea Minore, It. ; Tau- 

 sendgiildenkraut, Ger. 



Description. — Root small, woody, and fibrous. Stem slender, erect, angular, a"bout ten 

 or twelve inches high, branched above. The cauline leaves are opposite, connate, ovate, 

 or elliptic-ovate ; the radical leaves are numerous and obovate, forming a tuft. The 

 flowers are pink or rose-coloured, with opposite subulate bracts. The calyx is slender, 

 striated, and five-cleft. The corolla is divided above into five elliptical spreading seg- 

 ments. The stamens are five, with slender filaments, and oblong, yellow anthers, which 

 finally become spirally twisted. The ovary is oblong, and supports a straight style, with 

 a roundish bifid stigma. The capsule is oblong and cylindrical, two-valved, with nume- 

 rous seeds. 



It is a native of Europe, in dry gravelly situations, flowering in July and 

 August. Jts specific name is. from Chiron the Centaur, but is not the plant 

 noticed by Pliny as curing him of a poisoned wound; this is supposed to be a 

 Centaurea. The officinal portion is the tops, though the whole plant is used. 

 It is bitter, and contains a Bitter extractive, a free Acid, &c. The bitter mat- 

 ter is considered peculiar, and has been called Centaurin. 



Medical Properties. — Similar to those of the Sabbatia, and appropriate to 

 the same cases. • 



Another species, the E. chilensis, a native of Chili and Peru, has been 

 highly spoken of by many writers, as of very decided tonic powers (Lesson, 

 Voy. Med. 15), and was employed with much success by Dr. Ruschenberger, 

 in all cases where mild tonics were indicated. (Jour. Phil. Coll. Pharm. vi. 

 276.) The E. linarifolia of Europe is also much praised by Alibert. 



