GENTIANACEAE

GENTIAN FAMILY

James S. Pringle (except as specified)

Annual, perennial herb
Stem decumbent to erect, < 2 m
Leaves simple, cauline (sometimes also basal), opposite or whorled, entire, sessile or basal ± petioled; stipules 0
Flower bisexual, radial, parts in 4's or 5's, except pistil 1; sepals fused, persistent; petals fused, persistent or deciduous, corolla generally without fringes or scales on inner surface, sinuses between lobes generally unappendaged; stamens epipetalous, alternate corolla lobes; ovary superior, chamber 1, placentas parietal, often intruding
Fruit: capsule, 2-valved
Seeds many
Genera in family: ± 80 genera, 900 species: worldwide; some cultivated (Eustoma , Exacum , Gentiana )
Reference: [Wood & Weaver 1982 J Arnold Arbor 63:441–487]

GENTIANA

GENTIAN

Annual, perennial herb, generally glabrous
Stem generally simple below inflorescence
Leaves cauline, opposite (sometimes also basal)
Inflorescence: compact cyme or flowers solitary
Flower parts in 4's or 5's; calyx tube obvious; corolla tube narrowly bell-shaped, lobes spreading, < tube, scales 0, sinuses between lobes ± truncate, unappendaged or generally with a variously shaped, sometimes fringed appendage, nectary pits 0 (nectaries on ovary stalk); ovary stalked, style short or indistinct, stigma 2-branched
Species in genus: ± 300 species: temp to subarctic and alpine Am, Eurasia
Etymology: (Gentius, king of ancient Illyria, who might have found medicinal value in the plants)

Native

G. fremontii Torr.

MOSS GENTIAN

Annual
Stems decumbent to erect, 1–several, 2–10 cm
Leaves conspicuously white-margined; basal 2–13 mm, 1.5–8 mm, widely spoon-shaped to round, abruptly pointed; lower cauline crowded, < 6 mm wide, spoon-shaped to oblanceolate, upper cauline strongly ascending, < internodes, < 2 mm wide, oblanceolate to linear, acute
Inflorescence: flower 1
Flower: calyx 4–12 mm, lobes narrowly triangular, acute; corolla 7–15 mm, lobes 2.2–4 mm, white to pale blue, exterior often dark blue, ovate, acuminate, sinus appendages white, triangular, ± entire or jagged-serrate, acute
Seed wingless
Ecology: UNCOMMON. Wet mtn meadows
Elevation: 2400–2700 m.
Bioregional distribution: San Bernardino Mountains
Distribution outside California: to w Canada, Colorado
Synonyms: G. humilis Steven; G. aquatica L. misapplied
Horticultural information: TRY.