GENTIAN OF THE DESART. 
IHE Gentian, or Gentiana. of Linnsus, 
takes it's name from Gentiiis, a King of II- 
lyriiim, who first discovered the virtues of 
this genus of plants. It is also called Fell- 
wort, and is sometimes described as the Gall 
of the i'^arth, from it's extreme bitterness. Se- 
v( ial of the species are named, the Lesser 
Centaury, Greater Centaury, See. 
The generic chara6ter.s are — that it has a 
permanent empalement ta the llowcr, which is 
cut into five acute segments. Hie flower has 
one petal, which is tubulous, and cut into five 
parts at the tops,, wlikh are flat. It has five 
awl-shaped stamina, which are shorter than 
the petal, terminated by single summits. Iii 
tlie centre is situated an oblong cvlindrical. 
gcimen, having no style, but crowned by two 
oval stigmas.. The germen afterwards be- 
comes an oblong taper-pointed capsule, witlr 
one cell, containing many small seeds tastcncd. 
to the valves of the capsule 
