Gentiana decora
Gentiana rubricaulis
Appalachian gentian, mountain gentian, showy gentian
closed gentian, great lakes or red-stem or purple-stem gentian, red-stem gentian
1–4, terminal from caudex, decumbent to erect.
1–5, terminal from caudex, erect.
cauline, ± evenly spaced or somewhat more widely spaced distally;
distal blades lance-elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 3–10 cm × 7–40 mm, apex acute to acuminate;
proximal blades oblanceolate to obovate, apex obtuse to acute.
cauline, gradually more widely spaced distally;
blade linear to oblong-lanceolate (proximal) or lanceolate to ovate (distal), 3–9 cm × 8–30 mm, apex acute.
± dense 1–15-flowered cymes or heads, sometimes with additional flowers at 1–3 nodes or on short branches.
dense 1–15-flowered cymes, basally ± enveloped by ascending, conduplicate involucral leaves, rarely with additional flowers at one node.
calyx 10–20 mm, lobes ± erect, subulate to linear or occasionally oblanceolate, 2–8(–12) mm, margins ciliate;
corolla white to pale or occasionally medium blue or violet, tubular, loosely closed to fully but narrowly open, 25–45 mm, lobes ovate-triangular, 3–6 mm, longer than plicae, free portions of plicae divided 1/2 or more of their length into 2 unequal, ± triangular, lacerate segments, narrower segment usuallly deflexed;
anthers connate.
calyx 10–26 mm, lobes oblong, 2–14 mm, margins not ciliate;
corolla grayish violet to violet-blue or occasionally rose-violet or white, tubular, loosely closed or slightly open, 30–45 mm, lobes ascending, ovate-triangular, 4–8 mm, free portions of plicae obliquely triangular, erose, with minute, deflexed second segment;
anthers connate.
winged.
winged.
= 26.
= 26.
Gentiana decora
Gentiana rubricaulis
Hybrids of Gentiana decora with G. austromontana, G. clausa, and G. saponaria are known.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The name Gentiana linearis var. lanceolata A. Gray was applied originally to plants referable to G. linearis, although the name G. rubricaulis was cited in synonymy. The name G. linearis var. latifolia was applied originally only to G. rubricaulis, but both of these names were applied subsequently to both that species and relatively wide-leaved specimens of G. linearis. This confusion has been responsible in some cases for the rejection of specific status for G. rubricaulis, and for erroneous reports of G. rubricaulis in New York and Vermont. Reports from Nebraska were based on an old misidentification of G. puberulenta. Reports from Saskatchewan were also based on misidentified specimens. Reports of G. rubricaulis in Maine and New Brunswick are correct, although these populations are disjunct by about 775 km from the easternmost populations in Ontario.
In marked contrast to all other species of Gentiana in eastern and central North America, including G. linearis, the involucral leaves of this species are strongly ascending and somewhat conduplicate as well as being wider, and envelop the proximal portion of the flower cluster.
In the vicinity of Lake Superior, where the ranges of Gentiana rubricaulis and G. linearis overlap, these species maintain their distinctness, with G. rubricaulis occurring in calcareous soils and G. linearis in granitic and similar strongly acid soils (J. S. Pringle 1968). A few hybrids of G. rubricaulis with G. andrewsii, which is likewise a calciphile, are known. These hybrids have been designated G. × grandilacustris J. S. Pringle.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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