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| Gentians are hairless herbs with
a bitter, clear sap, found mostly at higher elevations or in
alpine areas. The flowers are regular, most of the genera have
a tubular corolla, usually with 4 or 5 lobes at the mouth. There
are as many stamens as corolla lobes. The stamens are attached
to the corolla, alternating with the lobes. A few genera have
spreading petals that appear to be separate. The fruit is a
capsule, opening by valves and containing many seeds. Members
of Gentianaceae have opposite leaves, attached directly to the
stem. The family has a total of about 74 genera and 1200 species
worldwide, most occurring in temperate regions or at high altitude
in the tropics. |
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Guide to Identify Presented Species of the Gentian
Family
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FLOWERS WITH SEPARATE
PETALS
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Frasera
speciosa - Green Gentian
Robust biennial, 30-200 cm tall. Open to wooded areas, plains to subalpine.
Flowers are green and have 4 dotted petals, many in elongated clusters.
Leaves basal and whorled, oblong to lance-shaped, 25-50 cm long. |
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Swertia
perennis - Star Gentian
Plant 15-30 cm tall, with single stems. Moist places, montane-subalpine zone.
Flowers blue and dotted, about 2 cm wide, with 5 spreading, pointed petals.
Leaves basal and opposite, hairless, egg-shaped, in few pairs. |
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FLOWERS WITH JOINED PETALS
(LOBES)
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Gentiana
algida - Arctic Gentian
Tufted perennial, 5-20 cm tall. Moist but well-drained sites in the alpine zone.
Flowers white with purple edges, tubular, with
5 lobes, about 4-5 cm long.
Basal leaves lance-shaped, 4-12 cm long. Stem leaves opposite, 3-5 cm long. |
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Gentiana
calycosa - Mountain Bog Gentian
Perennial, 5-30 cm tall. Meadows and swamps, montane to alpine zone.
Flowers blue, tubular, with 5 lobes, about 3-4
cm long, solitary or 3 together.
Leaves opposite, 1-2.5 cm long, heart- to egg-shaped, blunt-tipped. |
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Gentianella
amarella - Northern Gentian
Slender annual, 5-40 cm tall. Meadows and moist areas, foothills to alpine.
Flowers purple-bluish, 1-2 cm long, with 4-5 pointed lobes
and fringed throats.
Leaves basal and opposite, lance-shaped, up to 6 cm long and 3 cm broad. |
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FLOWERS WITH JOINED AND
FRINGED PETALS (LOBES)
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| Alphabetical listing with links to presented species of the Gentian family: |
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| Scientific Name |
English Name |
Swedish Name |
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Frasera
Gentiana
Gentianella
Gentianopsis
Swertia
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Green Gentian
Gentian
Gentian
Fringed Gentian
Star Gentian
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