Culpeper: “ ... helps the yellow jaundice, opens obstructions of the liver, helps pains of the spleen, provokes the terms, brings out the birth and afterbirth.”

Culpeper, Nicholas. (1653). The London Dispensatory.

Notes: There is a problem with this one for the Centaury of the Physicians may be Centaurium minus (an erect annual with five-petalled, pink flowers), the Common Centaury and not the blue Cornflower. Culpeper also recommends the Greater Centaury, which could be the Centaurea glastifolia of Linnaeus which is also called Centaureum majus.

Oakeley, Dr. H. F. . (2013). The Gardens of the Pharmacopoeia Londinensis. Link

Lindley notes that Centaurea were used as a febrifuge.

Lindley, John. (1838). Flora Medica, Longman, Orme, Brown, Green & Longmans

Centaurea cyanus L, was recommended by Culpeper: “ ... helps the yellow jaundice, opens obstructions of the liver, helps pains of the spleen, provokes the terms, brings out the birth and afterbirth.” The Centurea of Dioscorides was 1.5 metres high, had blue flowers 'like a poppy' and cannot be our cornflower. Lindley (1838) notes that Centaurea were used as a febrifuge.

Oakeley, Dr. Henry F. (2013). Wellcome Library notes. Link

Our supplier writes: "The floures grow at the top of the stalkes, of a diverse colours, consisting of many small floures set in a scaly head; the seed is smooth, bright shining, & wrapped in a woolly or flocky matter."

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