centaury

/ˈsɛntəri/

Other forms: centauries

Definitions of centaury

1. noun

   any plant of the genus Centaurea
   types:

   Centaurea americana, basket flower

   annual of southwestern United States cultivated for its purple flower heads and its bracts that resemble small baskets

   Centaurea cineraria, Centaurea gymnocarpa, dusty miller

   a plant having leaves and stems covered with down that resembles dust

   Centauria calcitrapa, caltrop, star-thistle

   Mediterranean annual or biennial herb having pinkish to purple flowers surrounded by spine-tipped scales; naturalized in America

   knapweed

   any of various plants of the genus Centaurea having purple thistlelike flowers

   slender knapweed

   a variety of knapweed

   Jersey knapweed

   a variety of knapweed

   Centaurea nigra, black knapweed, hardheads, lesser knapweed

   a weedy perennial with tough wiry stems and purple flowers; native to Europe but widely naturalized

   Centaurea scabiosa, great knapweed, greater knapweed

   tall European perennial having purple flower heads

   type of:

   subshrub, suffrutex

   low-growing woody shrub or perennial with woody base
2. noun

   any of various plants of the genus Centaurium
   types:

   Centaurium calycosum, rosita

   erect plant with small clusters of pink trumpet-shaped flowers of southwestern United States

   Centaurium minus, lesser centaury

   common European glabrous annual centaury with flowers in dense cymes

   Centaurium scilloides, tufted centaury

   tufted perennial of western Europe and Azores having bright pink to white flowers

   seaside centaury

   a variety of centaury found at the seaside

   broad leaved centaury

   a variety of centaury with broad leaves

   slender centaury

   a slender variety of centaury

   type of:

   flower

   a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms