Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
35. Gentianaceae, the Gentian Family
1. Gentiana L. -- Gentian
1. Gentiana affinis Griseb.
Stems 1-several from the base, 1-4 dm tall, simple or with short, erect
branches above in the inflorescence, puberulent on the decurrent leaf bases
especially in the upper part. Leaves lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate,
or the lower ones sometimes ovate to elliptic, 1-4 cm long, 0.3-1.5 cm wide,
thick-textured and roughened, bluntly acute to obtuse at the tip, rounded and
not clasping at the base. Flowers (1) few to many, 2-3.5 cm long; calyx
tube funnelform, 4-8 mm long, the lobes unequal, erect to ascending, linear-lanceolate,
less than 1/2 to nearly as long as the tube; corolla tubular to obconic,
the lobes distinct, acute to rounded, 2.5-6 mm long, the plicate membrane between
the lobes toothed at the summit; anthers free, not fused around the ovary.
Seeds roughly oval to elliptic, 1-1.5 mm long. Aug--Sep. Wet meadows,
shores, springs, seepage areas and low prairie; ND, MT, n and w SD, WY; (Man.
to Yuk., s to SD, CO and CA).
G. puberulenta Pringle (G. puberula of many authors), which
is similar to G. affinis, typically grows in drier situations. A few
collections, however, have come from low prairie. G. puberulenta is
distinguished from G. affinis by its larger flowers (3.5-5 cm long),
longer calyx tube (ca. 1 cm long), subequal calyx lobes and longer corolla
lobes (4-8 mm long).
Return to Family -- Gentianaceae -
The Gentian Family
Next Section -- Gentiana andrewsii Griseb. --
Closed gentian
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey