CENTAUREA GLASTIFOLIA. 
WOAD-LEAVED CENTAURY. 
Oi'der. 
FRUSTRANEA. 
Natural Order. 
composite;. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration . 
Introduced 
Siberia. 
2§ feet. 
July. 
Perennial. 
in 1731. 
No. 506. 
Centaurea, from the Greek kentauros, a centaur. 
The application is supposed to have originated in 
classic fable; Chiron, the wise centaur, having been 
represented as using the original Centaurea in the 
cure of a wound. Glastifolia has been applied from 
the likeness of its leaves to the glastum of old au- 
thors, a dye plant, now known as I satis tinctoria, 
or common woad. 
This plant is one amongst many others which has 
long been known in British gardens, but never has 
been commonly cultivated. It is an ornamental and 
desirable plant; and moreover, bears some charac- 
ters of peculiar interest to the botanist. Its decur- 
rent foliage runs down the stem in a more distinct 
manner than any plant we know; and the veins of 
its leaves, are similarly prominent on their upper as 
on their under surface ; a circumstance which is very 
uncommon. 
The Centaurea glastifolia requires no peculiar 
care in cultivation. It is as hardy, and increases 
almost as rapidly, as the Centaurea montana. It is 
advantageous to part and replant it every autumn, 
or early in spring. 
Hort. Kew. 2, v. 5, 153. 
Class. 
SYNGENESIA. 
