PRAIRIE GENTIAN

Class: Gentiana affinis

Family: GENTIAN FAMILY

Sub Family: Gentianaceae

Year: Perennial

Other Names: Large Gentian, Oblong-leaved Gentian

Colour: Bright deep blue and green

Height: 15-45 cm 6-18")

Each Flower: 2.5-4 cm (1-1 1/2") long, up to 1.5 cm (5/8") across, tubular with 5 pointed lobes mottled or streaked with pastel green; pleats between lobes may have 2 to 5 tooth-like segments; calyx 5-toothed, short, tubular, green, tinged with blue or purple; 5 stamens, shorter than corolla-tube, anthers pale-yellow; short style with cleft stigma at maturity

Leaves: Several opposite pairs of stalkless leaves up stem with pointed-oblong toothless blades, 2-5 cm (3/4-2") long, 5 mm-2 cm (3/16-3/4") broad; some smaller leaves with stalks at base

Stems: 1 to several from root-stock, prostrate at first and becoming erect; generally purplish-tinged

Blooming Period: July - October

Habitat: Damp meadows from valleys and foothills to mountains. Uncommon, found in Summerland area

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