GENTIA'NA ACAU'LIS. 



GENTIANELLA. 

 Class. Order. 



PENTANDRIA. DIGYNIA. 



Natural Order. 



GENTIANEJJ. 



No. 51. 



This genus of plants has received its name in ho- 

 nor of Gentius, a king of Illyria, who is said to have 

 discovered one of the species of it. He is also sup- 

 posed to have experienced its virtues in his army, 

 as a cure for the plague. Acaulis, from the Greek, 

 signifying stemless, which it is in its native alpine 

 situations. Gentianella is formed as the diminutive 

 of Gentian, to characterize a small species. 



It cannot but be sincerely regretted by the zea- 

 lous votaries of Flora, who happen to possess their 

 parterres of beauty within the influence of the smoke 

 of towns, that this interesting plant is so fastidious 

 as to refuse yielding its exquisitely brilliant blue 

 flowers amongst them; though in high situations 

 whether planted in strong or light soil, it generally 

 flowers in great splendour. Pure air has always been 

 deemed indispensible, yet peculiar management may 

 possibly surmount the difficulty; for in situations 

 where it never, or very rarely, produces flowers, 

 we have generally observed it appear healthy and 

 increase luxuriantly. This would suggest the pro- 

 priety of planting it in poor soil, for sometimes by 

 checking luxuriance we obtain, from some other 



