GENTIANACE^ 217 



Gentiana campestris L. (Plate XXV.) 



Annual or biennial. Corolla 4-lobed, lilac, but frequently darker 

 violet and sometimes white. (Plate XXV.) Calyx-teeth very 

 unequal, the two outer lobes three times as broad as the inner ones, 

 the former being ovate-acuminate, and the latter lanceolate. 



Rather dry places in the Alps, sub-Alps, and hills. It ascends 

 to 9300 feet in Switzerland, as, e.g. on the Col de Torrent. May to 

 August. , 



Distribution. — Central and Northern (but, excepting Iceland, not 

 Arctic) Europe, and most of the mountain ranges in the south ; 

 Spain, Italy. British. 



Gentiana baltica. Murbeck. 



This little-understood plant is probably a sub-species of the last. 

 Dr. C. E. Moss tells me he considers the English lowland form of 

 " G. campestris," which is usually biennial, to be the annual G. 

 baltica. Stem erect, often branched above, usually still bearing the 

 cotyledons at time of flowering ; they are broadly lanceolate. 

 Upper leaves sessile-acute. Calyx-lobes as in campestris. Corolla 

 4-lobed, violet or white. Capsule sessile, cylindric, finally longer 

 than the coroUa. 



In Switzerland it has been recorded from Schafberg and near 

 Samaden in Orisons and from VUleneuve in Valais. In England 

 the true plant grows in several places as, e.g. on the Lancashire 

 sand-hills. 



Gentiana Amarella L. (G. axillaris Reichb.). 



An erect, much-branched annual, 3-10 inches high ; often purplish 

 or livid green in colour. Leaves ovate or lanceolate. Flowers 

 numerous, usually crowded in a leafy panicle, pale purplish blue. 

 Corolla-lobes 5, ovate or oblong, spreading, with a fringe of hairs 

 at the mouth of the broad tube. Calyx divided to the middle into 

 5 narrow lobes. 



Dry, hilly pastures ; becoming a sub-alpine plant in Southern 

 Europe. June to September. 



Distribution. — Europe, especially Central and Northern, extending 

 to the Arctic Circle in both Europe (Iceland) and Asia. Rare in 

 Switzerland (Lower Engadine), Roumania. British. 



Gentiana germanica Willd. 



Larger and stouter than G. Amarella, but also frequently purplish 

 in colour, the stems and leaves being sometimes a distinct reddish 

 purple. An annual, about 10-18 inches high. Stem-leaves ovate 

 or ovate-lanceolate. Calyx-lobes unequal, shorter than corolla- 

 tube, usually glabrous, but sometimes finely ciliate, lanceolate. 

 Corolla large, 4-lobed, deep lilac or violet, campanulate. 



Pastures, open woods, etc., in the plains, hills, and Alpine valleys ; 

 preferably on limestone. August to October, 



