BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
235 
CHAPTER LIX. 
THE GENTIAN FAMILY. (Gentianea:, Juss.) 
Character of the Order. —Calyx monophyllous, divided, inferior, 
persistent. Corolla monopetalous, hypogynous, usually regular, wither¬ 
ing or deciduous ; the limb divided, equal, its lobes of the same number 
as those of the calyx, generally five, sometimes four or eight, with an 
imbricated activation. Stamens inserted upon the corolla, equal in num¬ 
ber to the segments, and alternate with them ; some of them occasionally 
abortive. Ovarium single, one or two-celled, many-seeded. Styles one 
or two, either partially or wholly cohering. Stigmas one or two. Capsule, 
or berry, many-seeded, with one or two cells, generally two-valved ; the 
margins of the valves turned inwards, and in the genera with one cell, 
bearing the seeds; in the two-celled genera inserted into a central 
placenta. Seeds small; embryo straight in the axis of fleshy albumen; 
radicle next the hilum. Herbaceous plants, seldom shrubs, generally 
smooth. Leaves without stipulse. Flowers terminal or axillary. 
(R. Br.) 
Description, &c. —Several genera are included in this order, but most of the plants are so small, or resemble 
each other so much, as to be little noticed. Most of them, however, are beautiful. 
§ 1.— Gentianecs. Leaves opposite, entire. 
GENUS I. 
GENTIANELLA. (Exacum, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Description, &c.—There is only one plant in this genus—an insignificant little annual, with yellow flowers, 
found only in the south-west of England. 
GENUS II. 
THE CENTAURY. (Erytiir^a, Ren.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx five-cleft. Corolla funnel-shaped, withering, with a short limb. Stamens five. Anthers, when burst, becoming 
spiral. Style erect. Stigmas two, roundish. Capsule linear. ( R. Br.) 
Description, &c.— This genus contains four species, or one species and three varieties. The name of Erythrcea 
is taken from the Greek word for red, in allusion to the colour of the flowers. 
1.—THE LESSER CENTAURY. (Erythraia Centaurium, Pers.) 
Synonymes. —Chironia Centaurium, Curtis; Gentiana Centaurium, 
Lin. 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 417 ; 2nd ed., t. 320. 
Specific Character. —Stem nearly simple. Panicle forked, corym¬ 
bose. Leaves ovate-lanceolate. Calyx half the length of the tube ; its 
segments partly combined by a membrane. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This pretty little plant is only found in dry gravelly or chalky soils. It is an annual, 
which flowers nearly all the summer, its small pink blossoms opening in sunshine, but closing before rain, or as 
soon as they are gathered. The herb is very bitter, and it is used by country people as a tonic. The dwarf- 
tufted Centaury ( E. littoralis), E. latifolia , and E. pulchella, are probably only dwarf varieties of the common 
kind. All the kinds are annual or biennial, dying as soon as they have perfected their seeds. 
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