Gentiana andrewsii var. andrewsii

bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)

Native

Moderate moisture to wet. Prairies, meadows, open woods, swamps. Full to partial sun. Sandy, loamy soil.

August to October

Whitish below, blue or blue-purple upwards

1′ to 3′

This is a 1′ to 3′ tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on 1 to 20 stems from a stout taproot.

The stems are erect, occasionally leaning somewhat with the tips erect. They are rarely branched and always completely hairless.

The leaves are opposite, 1¾″ to 6⅓″ long, ⅜″ to 2″ wide, and are attached to the stem without a leaf stalk. The margins are untoothed and have a fringe of bristly or prickly hairs, but are otherwise hairless. Lower leaves are small and lance-shaped to egg-shaped. Middle leaves are larger and narrower. The 3 uppermost leaves, just below the inflorescence, are whorled.

The inflorescence is 1 to 25 flowers in a cluster at the end of the stem and also smaller clusters emerging from the upper leaf axils.

The flowers are erect and often stalkless. They are bottle-shaped and 1⅛″ to 1¾″ long. There is no floral scent.

The 5 petals are fused with 5 longer white membranes (plaits) into a closed tube with no opening at the top. There are folds between the petals. At the top of each petal is a small, not well developed lobe barely 1 ⁄32″long. These lobes are barely visible, well surpassed by the fringed tips of the plaits.

The fruit is a 1-chambered capsule containing many seeds.

Dakota gentian (Gentiana andrewsii var. dakotica) is much rarer. The stems are usually hairless but occasionally covered with short fuzzy hairs. The lobe at the top of each petal is well developed, triangular or rounded, and about ⅛″ long.

Great Lakes gentian (Gentiana rubricaulis) has white flowers with scattered blue spots. The flowers are narrowly open at the top.

Narrow-leaved gentian (Gentiana linearis) flowers appear closed but are actually narrowly open. It does not occur in Minnesota.

Soapwort gentian (Gentiana saponaria) flowers appear closed but are actually narrowly open. It does not occur in Minnesota.

Yellowish gentian (Gentiana flavida) has yellowish-white or greenish-white flowers that may appear closed but, on closer inspection, have a small opening at the top.