Gentian

Encyclopedia : G : GE : GEN : Gentian

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For the cultivated flower known as a Gentian or Tulip Gentian see Eustoma.

Gentian (Gentiana) is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Gentian family (Gentianaceae), tribe Gentianeae and monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. This a large genus, with about 400 species.

This is a cosmopolitan genus, occurring in alpine habitats of temperate regions of Asia, Europe and the Americas. Some species also occur in northwest Africa, eastern Australia and New Zealand. They consist of annual, biennial and perennial plants. Some are evergreen, others are not.

Their leaves are arranged in an opposite way. Most of them belong to a basal rosette. Gentians have trumpet-shaped flowers which are usually deep blue or azure, but may vary from white, creamy and yellow to red. Blue-flowered species predominate in the Northern Hemisphere, and red in the Andes; white-flowered species are scattered but dominate in New Zealand. These terminal tubular flowers are mostly pentamerous, i.e. with 5 corolla lobes (petals), and 5 sepals, but 4-7 in some species. The style is rather short or absent. The corolla shows folds (= plicae) between the lobes. The ovary is mostly sessile and has nectary glands.

Gentians are fully hardy and like full sun or partial shade, and neutral to acid soil that is rich in humus and well drained. They are popular in rock gardens.

According to Pliny the Elder, Gentian is an eponym of Gentius (180-168 BC), the King of Illyria, said to have discovered its healing properties. Some species are of medicinal use and their roots were harvested for the manufacture of tonic liquor, for instance in France "Suze" or similar liquors. Gentian is also used as a flavouring, for example in bitters, and the soft drink "Moxie" which contains "Gentian Root Extractives".

Species

Gentiana acaulis ('Stemless Gentian') Gentiana affinis ('Pleated Gentian') Gentiana alba ('Plain Gentian') Gentiana algida ('Whitish Gentian') Gentiana alpina ('Alpine Gentian') Gentiana altaica ('Altai Gentian') Gentiana amoena Gentiana andrewsii ('Closed bottle Gentian') Gentiana angustifolia Gentiana asclepiadea ('Willow Gentian') Gentiana austromontana ('Appalachian Gentian') Gentiana autumnalis ('Pinebarren Gentian') Gentiana bavarica ('Bavarian Gentian') Gentiana bellidifolia Gentiana boryi Gentiana brachyphylla Gentiana bulleyana Gentiana burseri Gentiana cachemirica Gentiana calycosa ('Rainier Pleated Gentian') Gentiana catesbaei ('Elliott's Gentian') Gentiana cephalantha Gentiana cerina Gentiana clausa ('Bottled Gentian') Gentiana clusii ('Trumpet Gentian') Gentiana crassicaulis Gentiana cruciata ('Cross Gentian') Gentiana dahurica Gentiana decora ('Showy Gentian') Gentiana decumbens Gentiana dendrologii Gentiana depressa Gentiana dinarica Gentiana douglasiana ('Swamp Gentian') Gentiana elwesii Gentiana farreri Gentiana fetisowii Gentiana flavida ('Pale Gentian') Gentiana freyniana Gentiana frigida Gentiana froelichii Gentiana fremontii ('Moss Gentian') Gentiana gelida Gentiana gilvo-striata Gentiana glauca ('Pale Gentian') Gentiana gracilipes Gentiana grombczewskii Gentiana heterosepala ('Autumn Gentian') Gentiana hexaphylla Gentiana kesselringii Gentiana kurroo Gentiana lawrencii Gentiana lhassica Gentiana linearis ('Narrowleaf Gentian') Gentiana loderi Gentiana lutea ('Great Yellow Gentian') Gentiana macrophylla ('Bigleaf Gentian') Gentiana makinoi Gentiana microdonta Gentiana newberryi ('Newberry's Gentian') Gentiana nipponica Gentiana nivalis ('Snow Gentian')

Gentiana nubigena Gentiana nutans ('Tundra Gentian') Gentiana ochroleuca Gentiana olivieri Gentiana ornata Gentiana pannonica ('Brown Gentian') Gentiana paradoxa Gentiana parryi ('Parry's Gentian') Gentiana patula Gentiana pennelliana ('Wiregrass Gentian') Gentiana phyllocalyx Gentiana platypetala ('Broadpetal Gentian') Gentiana plurisetosa ('Bristly Gentian') Gentiana pneumonanthe ('Marsh Gentian') Gentiana prolata Gentiana prostrata ('Pygmy Gentian') Gentiana przewalskii Gentiana pterocalyx Gentiana puberulenta ('Downy Gentian') Gentiana pumila Gentiana punctata ('Spotted Gentian') Gentiana purpurea ('Purple Gentian') Gentiana pyrenaica Gentiana quadrifolia Gentiana rigescens Gentiana rostanii Gentiana rubricaulis ('Closed Gentian') Gentiana saponaria ('Harvestbells Gentian') Gentiana saxosa Gentiana scabra Gentiana scarlatina Gentiana sceptrum ('King's scepter Gentian') Gentiana septemfida ('Crested Gentian') Gentiana setigera ('Mendocino Gentian') Gentiana setulifolia Gentiana sikkimensis Gentiana sikokiana Gentiana sino-ornata Gentiana siphonantha Gentiana speciosa Gentiana squarrosa Gentiana stictantha Gentiana stragulata Gentiana straminea Gentiana tenuifolia Gentiana terglouensis ('Triglav Gentian') Gentiana ternifolia Gentiana tianshanica ('Tienshan Gentian') Gentiana trichotoma Gentiana triflora Gentiana trinervis Gentiana tubiflora Gentiana utriculosa ('Bladder Gentian') Gentiana veitchiorum Gentiana venusta Gentiana verna ('Spring Gentian') Gentiana villosa ('Striped Gentian') Gentiana waltonii Gentiana wutaiensis Gentiana yakushimensis Gentiana zollingeri

Northern Gentian (Gentiana amarella) Closed Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) Rainier Pleated Gentian (Gentiana calycosa)

Milkweed Gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea) Wikimedia Commons has media related to: [Special]

References

• [Gentian Research Network]
• [Medical Benefits of Gentian]

 

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