Gentiana platypetala |
Gentiana prostrata |
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broad-petal gentian |
gentian, moss gentian, pygmy gentian |
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Habit | Herbs perennial, 0.5–3.5 dm, glabrous. | |
Stems | 1–5, terminal from caudex, erect or nearly so. |
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Leaves | cauline, ± evenly spaced; blade widely ovate to elliptic, 1.5–4 cm × 8–22 mm, apex obtuse. |
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Inflorescences | solitary flowers or occasionally a terminal pair. |
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Flowers | calyx 8–12 mm, tube cleft to base or nearly so into 2 spathaceous segments, lobes elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–5 mm, margins not ciliate; corolla bright blue, campanulate, open, 30–38 mm, lobes widely ovate-triangular, 6–11 mm, free portions of plicae spreading, low-triangular, less than 1 mm, notched at apex, otherwise entire; anthers distinct. |
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Seeds | not winged. |
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Gentiana platypetala |
Gentiana prostrata |
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Phenology | Flowering late summer. | |
Habitat | Alpine and coastal mountain meadows, heathlands, rocky and boggy slopes. | |
Elevation | 0–1400(–2100) m. (0–4600(–6900) ft.) | |
Distribution |
AK; BC |
w North America; Eurasia; questionably in s South America
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Discussion | Gentiana platypetala is restricted to sites near the Pacific largely confined to the insular ranges of British Columbia and southern Alaska from northern Vancouver Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, and Alice Arm, British Columbia, northwest to Kodiak Island, Alaska, but occasionally on mainland coastal ranges. The distinctive spathaceous calyces of this species are strongly suffused with reddish purple. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Varieties 2+ (1 in the flora). Gentiana prostrata is variously divided into subspecies and/or varieties. At least two, perhaps more, varieties seem appropriately recognized at that rank (one in the flora). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 14. | FNA vol. 14. |
Parent taxa | Gentianaceae > Gentiana | Gentianaceae > Gentiana |
Sibling taxa | ||
Subordinate taxa | ||
Synonyms | G. covillei, G. gormanii | Chondrophylla prostrata, Ciminalis prostrata |
Name authority | Grisebach in W. J. Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 58. (1837) | Haenke in N. J. Jacquin: Collectanea 2: 66, plate 17, fig. 2. (1789) |
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