THE SNOW GENTIAN 49 



three or four pairs of leaves on the flowering shoots, 

 nearly similar in size to those below. 



The chief feature of interest presented by these 

 two Gentians is the intensity of the blue coloration 

 of the flowers, a feature in which they are perhaps 

 only rivalled in the Alps by Eritrichium nanum 

 (p. 183). 



The flowers are scentless. Their method of 

 fertilisation is essentially similar to that of the Bell 

 Gentian, which we shall describe in detail shortly. 

 Both the Spring and Bavarian Gentians are adapted 

 to cross-pollination by the agency of butterflies and 

 moths, the Hawk -Moth {Macroglossa stellatarum) 

 being their most frequent and important visitor. The 

 insects are attracted by the brilliant coloration, and 

 by the honey secreted at the base of the ovary. The 

 small double-toothed lobes or appendages between 

 the free portions of the petals serve to protect the 

 entrance to the corolla tube and to keep out "unbidden 

 guests," which can perform no service to the plant by 

 efiecting cross-pollination. 



The Snow Gentian. 



The tiny little Snow Gentian {Gentiana nivalis, 

 Linn.), fully -grown specimens of which almost 

 resemble in size the seedlings of many other plants, 

 is interesting as being an annual, and not a perennial, 

 like the majority of Alpine Gentians. The whole 

 plant is very slender, and does not exceed 4 to 6 



