Earlier, the genus Erythraea was known as Chironia, derived from the name Centaur Chiron, an eminent personality in Greek mythology who was well-known for his talent in herbal medicines and is believed to have healed his wound sustained accidentally from a septic poisoned arrow dipped in the blood of hydra with herbs.
In fact, the English name of the herb also originated from Centaur Chiron. Centaury is an erect biennial herb growing about half a meter in height. The plant is found growing in open woods, meadows and dry grasslands, muds and wet sands, shady paths, grassy places, stony pastures, dry meadows, moors, thickets and garrigues, from the plain up to meters of altitude.
It grows in any type of soil, often on chalky soils and particularly in seasonally damp, sandy depressions. Roots are yellowish, fibrous and woody. Stiff, square stem is quite distinctive and ranges from approximately 7 to 30 cm 3 to 12 inches in height.
Leaves are obovate to oblong-elliptic or lanceolate, glabrous; basal leaves mostly 2. Centaurium erythraea rafn växt consists of numerous pinkish-purplish flowers arranged in clusters that grow parallel with the stem and intertwine with leaves. Flowers consist of five petals and they are star-shaped.
Common centaury produces flowers with both types of reproductive organs. The fruits are mm cylindrical capsules opening when ripe for two valves freeing very tiny brownish seeds with finely netted surface. The whole plant has a decidedly bitter taste. People discovered healing properties of common centaury few thousand years ago.
This plant is still very popular and frequently used for the preparation of various herbal remedies. Genus Erythraea is derived from the Greek erythros, relating to the red color of the flowers. The genus was formerly called Chironia, from Centaur, Chiron.
Hippocrates describes centaurium, under the Greek Kentareion and according to legend, Chiron founder of medicine used centaury to heal a wound inflicted by a poisoned arrow. Macer mentions centaury in the 10th century.
Its flowers are either pink or red, and its fruit is a capsule. Thanks to the multiple health benefits of Centaury Herb, all its parts are used in medicine, from roots to the tip of the leaves, the flowers and the fruit. There are about 40 known species, all of them having lots of healing properties, as you are going to see from this article, below.
Centaury has many functions and it is considered to be a great tonic and aromatic stomachic that can use help with gastrointestinal disturbances and strengthen stomach function when it is taken before meal. It helps to stimulate gastric secretions.
Centaury has a strong bitter principle that helps with heartburn, gas pains in the intestines and stomach, bloating, constipation and colic. The herb is considered to be a diaphoretic, meaning that it helps stimulate perspiration. This is useful to help cool the body, lowers fevers and expels toxins from the body via the skin.