GENTIANACE^E. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 297. 



** There is scarcely a plant of this natural order in which 

 the bitter principle does not exist in considerable intensity. 

 Although the following are taken as good examples, and as the 

 most officinal species, the list might be very much and usefully 

 extended. 



GENTIANA. 



Calyx 4-5-parted. Corolla variously divided, twisted to the 

 right in aestivation, often with accessory lobes between the prin- 

 cipal ones ; without depressed glands upon the petals. Filaments 

 equal at the base ; anthers not changing. Stigmas terminal on 

 the ovary or style. Placentae united with the endocarp, and 

 overspreading the valves of the capsule. 



1088. G. Catesbaei Walter fl. carol p. 109. Elliott hot. i. 340. 

 Biffelow med. hot. ii. t. 34. Wet grassy meadows in the 

 southern parts of the North American Union. 



Root branching, fleshy. Stem simple, erect, rough. Leaves oppo- 

 site, ovate or lanceolate, slightly 3-nerved, acute, rough on the margin. 

 Flowers crowded, nearly sessile, axillary and terminal. Segments of 

 the calyx linear-lanceolate, varying in length, exceeding the tube and 

 sometimes more than twice its length. Corolla large, blue, ventricose, 

 plaited; its border 10-cleft, the 5 outer segments roundish and more 

 or less acute, the 5 inner bifid and fimbriate. Stamens 5, with dilated 

 filaments and sagittate anthers. Ovary oblong-lanceolate, compressed, 

 supported by a sort of pedicel. Style none; stigmas 2, oblong, re- 

 flexed. Capsule oblong, acuminate, 1-celled, 2-valved. Sigelow. 

 Dried root mucilaginous and sweetish, then intensely bitter, approach- 

 ing nearly to G. lutea. It is considered the best substitute in North 

 America for that species. 



1089. G. Amarella Linn. sp. pi 334. Eng. Bot. t. 236. 

 Smith Eng. Fl ii. 30. High, dry chalky pastures in most parts 

 of Europe. 



Root tapering, twisted, yellowish. Whole plant intensely bitter. 

 Stem square, erect, leafy, purplish, usually from 6 to 12 inches high, 

 with opposite, axillary, many-flowered, leafy, but rather short, branches, 

 rendering the whole plant panicled, and nearly cylindrical. Leaves 

 dark green, sessile, ovate, 3-ribbed, mostly acute; the lower ones 

 stalked, and rather spathulate. Flowers erect, barely an inch long, 

 with a whitish cylindrical tube, twice as long as the spreading, deeply 

 5-cleft, acute, purplish-blue limb, which has no intermediate segments, 

 but the mouth of the tube is crowned with a fine erect purplish fringe, 

 rather shorter than the limb, and rising much abeve the stamens. 

 The calyx has a turbinate, 5-angled, pale-green tube, about as long as 

 517 LL 3 



