NAT. ORDER. 



Gentianacea. 



GENTIANA PURPUREA. PURPLE GENTIAN. 



Class V. Pentandria. Order II. Digynia. 



Gen. Char. Corolla, monopetalous. Capsules, superior, two-valved, 

 one-celled, with two longitudinal receptacles. 



Spe. Char. Corolla, five-cleft, rotate, virticillate. Calyx, spathace- 

 ous. 



The root is perennial, cylindrical, slender, branched, exter- 

 nally brown, or dark, and internally of a pale yellowish color ; the 

 stem is erect, simple, smooth, strong, succulent, and rises from 

 twelve to eighteen inches in height; the lower leaves are nearly 

 eliptical, ribbed, and entire ; the upper leaves stand in pairs, sheath- 

 like, they are concave, pointed, ribbed, and embrace the stem, en- 

 closing the flowers ; the jloicers are large, purple, and stand in 

 whorls, upon short peduncles, ; the calyx opens lengthwise, and falls 

 off late in the autumn ; the corolla is bell-shaped, purplish, plicated, 

 and divided at the limb into five ovate dotted segments; the_^/a- 

 ments are most usually five, about the length of the germen, and 

 furnished with long, erect, tapering anthers ; the germen is oblong ; 

 the style is cleft with reflexed points, and furnished with a blunt 

 stigma ; the capsule is ovate, two-celled, and contains numerous small 

 seeds. 



This species of gentian is a native of the Alps, and was first 



introduced into England for cultivation by Professor de Saussure 



in the year 1768, since which time it has found its way into France, 



Spain, and some parts of the United States, Rafensque says it is 



H9 



