Centaurea cyanus L.
Conservation status: EN
First record: Ray,1660 Last record: (as a native): MJ How c.1985
Last recorded as a regular cornfield weed in 1972–1974. It was again recorded at Connington in 1980–1981 and occasionally appears after soil disturbance. There are also additional records from tips, garden escapes, by market gardens etc., verges and 'habitat' restoration sites, where it has been deliberately sown.
Introductions: 25; 29; 34; 35; 36; 44–46; 48; 55; 56; 58; 66; 67; 76.; 41, GMS Easy et al since 1969.
Blew–bottles. In cornfields. Variat floris colore caeruleo, purpureo, carneo, albo. Ray,1660,42–43(58); JM.ann.
Cyanus Blew–bottles. Ray,1670:89.
Cyanus purpureo; JM.ann.
Cyanus minor Officinarum Martyn,1727,34.
[Cyanus minor.] July. flore albo.–flore item purpures.Th.M.ann.Meth.34.
C. cyanus Corn Centaury or Blue–bottle. Relhan,1785; Flores quandoque purpurei, vel albi. Relhan,1802;1820.
Cambridgeshire, CM Lemann, 4.6.1833, CGE.
Now very rare. Evans,1911,231. 23
Odsey, AM Barnard, Bab.1860,133. 25
Gamlingay, Bab.1860,133. 34
Commonly recorded in Melbourn area, in 1880s, WM Palmer Diary, and spec.from his Hb.in CGE [not found].
Melbourn, Bab.1860,133.
Royston, D Britten, Bab.1860,133. 35
Madingley. Bab.MS.Fl.2:422.
Barrington, Bab.1860,133.
Caldecote, Bab.1860,133.
Comberton, Bab.1860,133.
Orwell; Newbould, Bab.1860,133.
Toft, Bab.1860,133.
Great Eversden, n.c., 17.7.1883, LIV.
Disturbed roadside, by Lords Bridge Station, 394.544, PD Sell, 67/413, 21.6.1967 & 393.543, PD Sell, 67/1626, 22.7.1967, CGE. 36
S SIDE OF A 604
Conspicuous from the top of a bus in a field by the Cambridge–Huntingdon road on its SW side near Fen Drayton, at 337.670, 6.6.1953. DE Coombe, Card Index.
Field at Conington, O Rackham, 1966.
Field blue with C. cyanus, GMS Easy, 1974.
26 plants on edge of field & in corn & on new bank of adjacent Rsv ditch, ME Smith, 1980; colour print, G Crompton, 1980.
c.10 plants before Conington turn, c.338.670, Mrs P Tuffs, 26.8.1981.
2 large plants on new Rsv ditch bank, A 604, Lolworth, G Crompton, 1980.
Near Trinity Foot, N side of A 604, MJ Howe, c.1985. 37
Sutton Meadlands, AF.cat. [c.1890]
In several fields, Sutton Meadlands, on land owned by Stanley Robinson, JW Clarke, c.1950s, [f. JWC, 7.1990]. 44
Hinxton, 1908, Shrubbs ann.
NEWTON
Newton, Bab.1860,133.
Cornfield, hill on the Cambridge Rd, EA George, 1939.
Enclosed are some cornflower seeds from each of the two places where I have known the plant for twenty years or more as a cornfield weed: Newton, on the east side of the London Road just north of the village 438.500, I have seen cornflowers here every year for many years, but this year I can find no more than one miserable plant at the edge of the barley field– effect of selective weed–killer? ... WH Palmer in litt. to DEC, 22.8.1962. DE Coombe, Card Index.
Still there in cornfield, near field entrance on east side of road, till c.1965, WH Palmer, G Crompton. 45
Cyanus vulg. common blew Bottle,... inter segetes, coloris sc. caerulei, albi, purpurei, in the corn fields neer Cambridge. Merrett,1667,32.
Cambridge, CC Babington, 4.11.1827, CGE.
Cambridge, 5.7.1873, Bent.ann.
Gogmagog Hills, CC Babington, 9.8.1852, CGE.
Gogmagog Hills, Bab.1860,133.
Gogmagog Hills, HD.ann.
Field in Gogs, 1904, CBSC.
Cornfield opposite Gogmagog Farm, EA George, 1938.
Cornfield, Stapleford, EA George, 1938.
In field with stubble, including Trifolium incarnatum, next to & S of Cherry Hinton Reservoir, 20.10.1945. DE Coombe, Card Index.
Gogs, n.d., DE Coombe Herbarium No. 495.
Near the railway–bridge, Cambridge, Bab.1860,133.
Waste ground opposite New Court, Trinity College, 1895. West,1898,253.
In cornfield (wheat), Arbury Road, DH Valentine, 1941.
Field btwn Babraham Road & Worts Causeway, JL Crosby, 1939 & 1946.
Coe Fen, 1895. West,1898,253.
Hinton, HD.ann.
By Hobson's stream, Trumpington, 1887–1893, Shrubbs ann.
Disturbed roadside, between Trumpington & Hauxton, PD Sell, 5.6.1952, CGE.
Haslingfield, E.T. 1907, in Shrubbs ann.
Roadside just out of Harston towards Foxton, 419.502, PD Sell, 53/280, flowers deep rose, 16.7.1953, CGE.
Roadside just out of Harston, 421.504, PD Sell, 54/63, white with pink centre or pale blue with blue centre, 9.6.1954, CGE.
Scattered all over south east and north west facing slopes of Magog Trust land, Stapleford, 488.531, Flowers light blue and pinkish mauve, flowering again after cutting, G Crompton & R Payne, 12.9.1991, CGE. 46
Kings hedges, Hb JA Power, 23.6.1835, RTE.
Fields, Chesterton, WLP G[arnons], 7.1836, SWN.
Chesterton, Bab.ann.
Chesterton.Bab.MS.Fl.2:422.
Ballast Pits, Chesterton, EF Warburg, 1940.
Between Cottenham and Histon. Bab.MS.Fl.2:422.
Cottenham, Bab.1860,133.
Histon, Bab.1860,133.
Histon, JSL Gilmour, 1932.
Oakington, Bab.1860,133.
Roadside by level crossing, Milton Road, Cambridge, SM Walters, 11.11.1950, CGE.
Edge of fields W of Ely Rd, 484.665, C Turner, 1960.
Field edge, Milton, 484.634, GMS Easy, 29.7.1969; 472.628 & 485.635, GMS Easy, 1972.
c.6 plants, very small, Milton Recreation Ground, (reseeded, topsoil came from Tesco site, Milton, underlying fill from Cherry Hinton, E side, JM Lock, 15.6.1989.
30–40 fls at margin of cornfield up track opp. allotments, NW of Milton, 485.634, with Papaver argemone & P. rhoeas, GMS Easy, conf. JM Lock, 17.6.1990.
Cornfield on Mere Way, 46–62–, F.M.J., 1954.
Cornfield, Rampton, [Westwick, FP 3] 423.667, A Runnall, 8.8.1954, CGE. 47
In rye grass/red clover ley, Hermitage Farm, Haddenham, [403.751], RE Hardy, 1954.
Burystead, Sutton, AF.cat. 48
Chatteris, AF.cat.
Wheatfield near Hammonds Eau, Sutton, JE Lousley, 1939, (BEC Rep.1942). 49
Sixteen Foot drain near Stonea, JSL Gilmour, 1930.
Bank Sixteen Foot drain, [? Sixteen Foot Bank], JSL Gilmour, 1930. 54
Hildersham WLP G[arnons], 1.7.1834, SWN.
Hildersham, Bab.1860,133.
Cornfields Linton etc.not rare. n.c., n.d., SWN.
Linton, HD.ann. 55
Six–mile–Bottom, Bab.1860,133.
Fulbourn, FR Tennant, 9.1897, CGE.
Fulbourn, EA George, 1940. 56
Swaffham Prior, L.J., 5.7.1826, BATHG.
Swaffham, Hb JA Power, 20.10.1836, RTE.
var fl. albo Swaffham, Hb JA Power, 20.10.1836, RTE. 57
Upware, Bab.1860,133.
In cornfields near Ely, SR Davey & LN Colborn, 7.1958, HCMS. 66
Newmarket Heath, JS Henslow, 11.6.1828, CGE.
Chippenham, Bab.1860,133.
Exning, E Skepper, Bab.1860,133. 67
Isleham, AF.ann. 40
In a field by New Common Bridge. Scarce. My Garden at Bushy–Place. 1819. Skrim.MS.
[Centa cya G.S. [ = Garden spec.] July 16 "Dr Skrimshire" added in ink]. J.Balding Herb.,WBCH.
Wisbech, J Balding, Bab.1860,133. 41
Midland & Gt Northern goods–yard, Wisbech, JL Crosby, 1929.
