356 



GENTIANE.E 



44i. GENTIANA GENTIAN 



GENTIAN 

 The dry rhizome and roots of Gentia'na lu'tea Linnd 



BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS. Root perennial, large; stem 2 to 3 feet high, 

 Leaves opposite, sessile, 5- to 7-nerved, ovate-acute, more or less clasping. 

 Flowers in whorls, bright yellow; corolla with 5 or 6 green glands at its base; 

 stigmas 2. 



FIG. 205. Gentiana lutea Flowering head and dissected flower. 



HABITAT. Mountainous portions of Central Europe. 



DESCRIPTION or DRUG. Cylindrical, fleshy, and very long, often 3 feet 

 or more; it is generally cut longitudinally about 100 to 200 mm. (4 

 to 8 in.) long, and 5 to 40 mm. (^ to i^ in.) thick; in drying, these 

 slices are depressed in the center and the bark overlaps; yellowish- 

 brown, much wrinkled longitudinally and marked transversely, 

 especially in the upper portion, with numerous rings. Transversely 



