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MSY ig Ne RSW SAND 
VERY alpine climber is inclined 
to wax eloquent concerning the 
beauty of the Gentians “found 
srowing in profusion on little 
swards environed on all sides by 
ice-clad rocks and mighty glaciers.” Some of those 
alpine tourists are ignorant of the fact that we 
have no less than five species of these Gentians 
growing at home, though they have not the impressive 
surroundings of the Alps ; but to show their partiality 
for such environment two of these restrict themselves 
to such alpine situations as our islands afford. The 
family is noted for its bitter and tonic properties, 
developed like the acridity of the Buttercups to 
protect them in large measure, if not entirely, from 
the attacks of herbivorous animals. In some species 
this bitterness becomes emetic, and even narcotic. 
The Field Gentian (Gentiana campestris) has an 
almost cylindrical pale-lilac corolla with a four-lobed 
mouth large enough to give entrance to the humble- 
bees, by which it is largely fertilised; but flies and 
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