American spurred gentian

(Halenia deflexa ssp. deflexa)

Conservation Status
American spurred gentian
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

N5? - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota not listed      
           
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FAC - Facultative

     
  Midwest

FAC - Facultative

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FAC - Facultative

     
           
 
Description
 
 

American spurred gentian is an erect, annual forb that rises on a rosette of basal leaves and a single flowering stem. It can be 8 to 36 tall but us usually no more than 16 in height.

The stems is erect, hairless, and has four rounded angles. It is usually unbranched but sometimes has a few branches above the middle.

Basal leaves are spatula-shaped or inversely lance-shaped, 2 to 4 long, and narrowed to a short stalk.

Stem leaves are opposite, lance-shaped to egg-shaped, unlobed, ¾ to 2 long, to 1 wide, and stalkless. The upper and lower surfaces are hairless. There are 3 to 5 parallel veins. The margins are untoothed.

The inflorescence is a loose, branched, cyme-like cluster of 2 to 9 flowers, usually 5 or more, at the end of the stem and also rising from upper leaf axils. Each flower is at the end of a stem that is up to 1½ long.

The flowers are to ½ long. There are 4 sepals, 4 petals, 4 stamens, and 1 style. The sepals are green and 3 16 long. They are united at the base into a very short tube then separated into 4 narrowly lance-shaped lobes. The petals are green to yellowish, often tinged with purple. They are united at the base into a short corolla tube then separated into 4 lance-shaped lobes. Each lobe has a tubular, downward-pointing, about 3 16 long spur at the base. The style has a 2-lobed stigma.

The fruit is a cone-shaped, curved, seed capsule that protrudes horn-like beyond the persistent corolla at maturity.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

8 to 36, usually 16 or less

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Green to yellowish, often tinged with purple

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  The four-spurred corolla is distinctive. There are no similar species.  
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Moist to wet. Coniferous forests, especially at the edges; cedar swamps; bogs; river banks; road clearings; and trails. Partial shade.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

July to August

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

 
  2/14/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Locally common

American spurred gentian is often encountered in moist woods on trails that are wide enough to allow some sunlight to filter through.

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Gentianales (gentians, dogbanes, madders, and allies)  
 

Family

Gentianaceae (gentian)  
  Tribe Gentianeae (gentian)  
  Subtribe Swertiinae (dwarf, fringed, and green gentians)  
 

Genus

Halenia  
  Species Halenia deflexa (spurred gentian)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Halenia deflexa var.deflexa

Swertia deflexa

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

American spurred gentian

American spurred-gentian

spurred-gentian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Corolla

A collective name for all of the petals of a flower.

 

Cyme

A branched, flat-topped or convex flower cluster in which the terminal flower opens first and the outermost flowers open last.

 

Sepal

An outer floral leaf, usually green but sometimes colored, at the base of a flower.

 
 
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Plant

 
    American spurred gentian      
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    American spurred gentian      
           
 

Leaves

 
    American spurred gentian      
           
 

Infructescence

 
    American spurred gentian      

 

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