The name given to various plants commonly found growing amongst corn; spec. a. the common Bluebottle, Centaurea Cyanus; b. the Corn-rose or common Wild Poppy; c. the Corn-cockle; d. Golden or Yellow Cornflower: the Corn-marigold.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, II. xii. 161. This floure [Blew bottell] may also be called Hurte Sicle, and Cornefloure.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, ccxl. 591. Of Blewe Bottle, or Corne flower. Ibid., ccxliv. § 2. 606. These plants are called … in English Corne Marigold, yellow Corne flower, and golden Corne flower.
1599. A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 73/1. Adde as much water of blewe cornflowers.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 482. There be certain Corn-flowers which come seldome or never in other places … but onely amongst Corn: As the blew Bottle, a kind of Yellow Mary-Gold, Wilde Poppy and Fumitory.
1879. Lubbock, Sci. Lect., ii. 37. The common but beautiful cornflower (Centaurea cyanus).
1885. E. Peacock, in Academy, 26 Sept., 204/2. Of the sunlight yellow and corn-flowers red.
