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The Cupid's dart (Catananche caerulea) belongs to Asteraceae (the Aster family). It is a perennial herb that is distributed in southwestern Europe and western North Africa. It grows in dry meadows, open woods, and along roadsides, and is 40 to 80 cm tall. From June to September, it produces a single flower head with a blackish blue to lavender blue center at the top of the stem. Each flower head is covered with overlapping papery bract leaves. The flower is believed to have been used by the ancient Greeks as an important ingredient in aphrodisiacs, hence the English name "Cupid's dart". In Japanese, it is called "Ruri-nigana" (lapis lazuli bitter vegetable).
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