CENTAUREA, GREATER CENTAURY; a genus of the polygamia frustanea order, belonging to the syn-genesia class of plants. There are 61 species. The root of one of them called glasifolia, is an article in the materia medica. It has a rough, somewhat acrid taste, and abounds with a red viscid juice. Its rough taste has gained it some esteem as an astringent; its acrimony, as an aperient; and its glutinous quality, as a vulnerary; but the present practice takes very little notice of it in any intention. Another of the species is the cyanus or blue-bottle, which grows commonly among corn. The expressed juice of this flower stains linen of a beautiful blue colour, but is not permanent. Mr Boyle says, that the juice the inner petals, with a little alum, makes a beautiful permanent colour, equal to ultramarine.
Lesser CENTAURY. See GENTIANA.