No. 588. > er diiae 
GENTIANA PURPUREA. _ 
PENTANDAIA 
A native of the Alps of Switzerland and _ 
Savoy, also of the Pyrenees, and has been 
found in Norway. It is a strong growing 
herbaceous plant, having large fleshy roots, 
and the flower stems rising from one to two 
feet high. The blossoms are curious, and 
of a singularly dingy hue, occasionally va- 
rying with more or less purple: they ap- 
pear in summer. 
It sometimes bears seeds, by which it 
may be increased: the plants do not blow 
while very young: they are quite hardy, 
and may be kept either in pots or in the 
full ground, thriving either in fresh loam or 
loam and peat earth. 
