GENTlANACEyE 



have mentioned that Pliny thought highly of them. 

 Indeed he prepared a wine which probably is little 

 different from the liqueur made in our hills and which 

 was even in his day regarded as an excellent stomachic, 

 aperient and digestive. In case of a real, honest mountain 

 thirst, cut the tiniest fraction from the root and put it in 

 the mouth; the thirst will vanish in a moment, if you can, 

 that is, endure the uttermost of bitters that of the 

 Gentian. 



G. lutea does not take kindly to cultivation. Never- 

 theless, in Austria, it is grown for exportation on a large 

 scale in fields or even on railway embankments. It loves 

 a deep, limestone, mellow soil, and, above all, resents 

 disturbance or transplantation. The seed, sown when 

 fresh, germinates readily ; when the seedlings have five 

 or six leaves, they should be transplanted into permanent 

 quarters. At Floraire it is raised in pots for export, and, 

 as a rule, succeeds. 



G. purpurea (PI. LXXX1I). Not by any means so 

 robust or tall-growing as lutea, scarcely exceeding 16-20 

 in.; leaves shining, dark green, strongly veined ; flowers 

 large, with a narrow cup, crowded in terminal clusters, 

 and pleasantly scented ; corolla red-brown, only opening 

 under strong sun and never completely ; calyx split 

 on one side to the base. Cool alpine pastures ; 1 5oo- 

 2200 m. 



G. punctata is distinguished by a short calyx, usually 

 not split, with six unequal, lanceolate, linear teeth ; by a 

 pale yellow corolla, spotted blank, with six blunted, erect 

 lobes. July- August. Alpine pastures. 



G. pannonica, the last of the group lutea, is distinguish- 

 ed by dark red flowers, tinged with violet, spotted black, 

 and by reflexed calyx-lobes. Alps of St-Gall. 



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