62 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
placed in a Imall cup, and arc divided into five 
lung and narrow fejimcnts. 
The feed-veffds are long, fvvdkd at the bot- 
tom, and fpllc a little at the top. 
It is a native of Germany and other parts of 
the north of Europe ; and flowers in July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Gentiana major lutea. Ca- 
merarius and others, fimply, Centtana \ and fome, 
from the fcgments of the flower being fpread like 
the rays of a (tar, JJlerias. 
This is the fpecies whofe root Is the true and 
proper kept by the druggifbs. 
It is an excellent flom^ichick, and is the prin- 
cipal ingredient in bitter tinctures. It f'rengchcns 
the ilomach, promotes an appetite, and afTifts di- 
gtilion. This root, orange- pee!, and cardamom 
feed infiifed in wine or water, either way, make 
an excellent family bitter. 
■ This is its common ufe ; but befides this, it 
ftands recommended againfl: malignant fevers, and 
diforders rifing from obftrudtions in the vifcera : 
and it is alfo good againft worms, and in in- 
termittent fevers. 
The beft tinilure of it is that in white wine. 
3- Crofs-lcaved Gentian. 
Gentiana foUis cruciraim -difpofitis. 
The root is long, thick, and divided into fe- 
vcral parts. 
The firfl: leaves are long and broad; they rife 
in large tufts, and have no footfl;alks. 
The llalks are numerous, round, firm, up- 
right, and eight inches high. 
The leaves are placed in pairs without foot- 
ftalks, and furround the ftalk at their bafc : they 
are broad, nervous, of a deep green, and fiiarp- 
pointed ; and the pairs ufually are placed crofswife 
of one another. 
The iiowcrs fl:and in a thick cluflcr at the tops 
of the ftalks, and are fmail and blue: they arc 
tubular, and divided into four Oiorf fegment^. 
The feed-veffel is oblong, flendcr, and fplit at 
the top, and the feeds are fmall. 
It is common.in the northern parts of Europe, 
and flowers in July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Gentiana crtidata. Ciime- 
r^arius, Gentiana minor. 
The root has the fame tafte, and probably the 
lame virtues, with the common gentian. It \% 
greatly recommended in pcllilcntial fevers. 
4. Great blue Gentian; 
Gentiana major jlore caruko. 
The root is long, large, and divided into fc- 
veral parts. 
The leaves that rife from It are long and broad : 
[hey have no footftalks : they are of a deep green 
colour, and firm fubftance, undivided at the 
edges, and fliaip-pointed. 
The ftalks rife in the centre of this tuft, and 
arc firm, upright, and two feet high. 
The leaves are long and large ; they refembic 
thofe from the root, but are of a paler green 
and of a fofter fubftance : they have no footftalks, 
and they are ribbed Icngthwife, like thofe of the 
great gentian : they ftand in pairs, and enclofe 
the ftalk at the bottom. 
The flowers grow from the bofoms of the 
leaves, from the middle to the top, and not un- 
frequently from the root up to th*c top, generally 
two upon each footftalk : they are large, and of 
a beautiful blue, tubular, and divided into five 
parts at the edge. 
The feed-vefiel is long and flender, and con- 
tains a great quantity of fmall feeds. 
It is a native of Germany,' and flowers ia 
June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Gentiana afclepiadis folio. 
GENUS IV. 
CENTAURY. 
C E N r A U R 1 U M. 
'T'HE flower is fmall, and conflfts of a fingle petal, which is of a tubular form, and is divided 
into feveral fegments at the edge. The feed-veffcl is flender, oblong, and fingle. The ftalks 
and leaves are tender. 
LinnjEus places this among pentandria digynia, making it a fpecies of gentian, not allowing it 
to be a diflinift genus. But, though it agrees with gentian in the ftruilurc of the flower, it difi^ers fuffi- 
ciently in its whole form and fubftance ; the ftalks of the gentians being hard and rigid, and their leaves 
tough and nervous ; whereas thofe of the centaury are tender, as in the generality of other plants. 
Many authors call this genus centauritim minus, fmall centaury, having given the name of great ce'i- 
taury to a plant altogether unlike it, and of a diftinfl: clafs. 
DIVISION I. BRITISH SPECIES. 
1. Little Centaury, 
Centaiirium minus vitlgare. 
The root is fmall, long, divided into many 
parts, and furnilhed with numerous fibres. 
The firft leaves rife in a tuft : they are oblong, 
broad, fmooth, of a pale green colour, and have 
no footftalks. 
The ftalks rife among thefe, and are numerous, 
flender, upright, eight inches high, and of a 
yellowiOi colour. 
The leaves ftand in pairs on them, and have 
n i 
