290 GENTIANACE^. 



GENTIAN A. f.b.i. 97 ix. 



Herbs, with the characters of the family, often 

 small. Distinguished by the corolla lobes being in bud 

 folded inwards and then twisted, the tube not very short, 

 with the stamens attached to it, and the ovary one-celled 

 (placentas not meeting). 



Species about 300, chiefly on the mountains of the Old 

 World, a few on the Andes of South America and in New 

 Zealand and Australia. Well known in Europe for their 

 brilliant blue flowers. Ger. Enziane. 



Gentiana quadrifaria Bl., var zcylanica ; (G. pedi- 

 cellata Wall., var wightii Kurz)\ F.B.I. iv III, IX 12. 



Tap root strong. Radical leaves in a rosette, obovate, 

 I by /4 inch, with numerous stems in their axils, bearing 

 J4 inch ovate or lanceolate leaves, and solitary terminal 

 flowers. Bud ^ inch long. Corolla % inch, bright blue. 

 Fruit a 'capsule 1/5 by 1/8 to 1/6 inch. Seeds globose or 

 obovoid, trigonous, smooth ' (Clarke), t. 193. 



Common in grass on the downs especially at the lower 

 limits of an area, e.g., Kotagiri, Coonoor. Fysoft 2647, 2921. 

 Bourne 5. 



Gen. Dist. Of G. quadrifarfa BL, Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhotan, 

 Khasia, Ceylon, Burma, Java, China. 



Kurz now has separated the Indian form placed in G. quadrifaria Bl. 

 in F.B.I., and restored Wallich's name pedicellata. I have not been able 

 to see his paper, nor Blume's type plant, and am unable to express any 

 opinion about this. 



SWERTIA. F.B.I. 97 xiL 



Herbs with the general characteristics of the family 

 (p. 281) and characterised by the tube of the corolla 

 being very short and lobes (petals) overlapping to the 

 right, and each with a small depression at the base, more 

 or less covered by a hairy scale (a honey gland). 



Species 50, Europe, Asia, Africa, chiefly on the mountains. 



Swertia corymbosa Wight; F.B.I, iv 126, XII 17. 

 Annual or perennial : lower leaves more crowded than 



