botany, a genus of the tetranidia monogynia clas. The calyx consists of four segments; the corolla has four divisions, and open; the stamens are short; and the capsule has but one cell. There is only one species, viz. the minimus, or bastard pimpernel, a native of Britain.

Centurion, among the Romans, an officer in the infantry, who commanded a century, or an hundred men.

The centurions held the first rank in the first cohort of a legion, and two of them the place of the two first haltati or pike-men: the first among the principes was also a centurion.

The centurion primipilus was the chief of the centurions: he was not under the command of any tribune, as all the rest were; he had four centuries under his direction, and guarded the standard and the eagle of the legion.