GENTIANA 



GENTIAN OBDEB 



GENTIANA 655 



1-2 ft. high, bearing linear or narrowly 

 lance-shaped leaves. Flowers in summer, 

 deep blue lined with white, 1-5 in a ter- 

 minal cluster ; corolla 1 in. or more deep. 

 Culture dc. as above. This species 

 very often does not exceed a foot in 

 height. It enjoys a warm sunny posi- 

 tion in the rock garden in moist but well- 

 drained peat and gritty loam. 



G. lutea. — A vigorous European peren- 

 nial 4-6 ft. or more high, with broadly 

 ovate or ovate-oblong leaves like those of 

 the False or "White Hellebore (Veratrum), 

 with 5 prominent veins on the under sur- 

 face. Flowers in July, yellow, veined and 

 spotted, in whorls at the upper joints. 

 G. Cha/rpentieri is supposed to be a hybrid 

 between this species and O. punctata, as 

 is also (?. Burseri. It has yellow flowers 

 dotted with red. 



Culture lie. as above. Planted in 

 groups in semi-wild grassy places ff. lutea 

 becomes very effective, especially if grown 

 in a deep rich moist loam in shaded or 

 sunny situations. It may be increased in 

 spring by dividing the spindle-shaped 

 branching roots, which are blackish out- 

 side, and yellow and spongy in the in- 

 terior, and from which the Gentian Eoot 

 of commerce is obtained. 



G. macrophylla. — -A Siberian species 

 6-12 in. high, with rounded stems almost 

 leafless in the middle. Lower leaves 

 lance-shaped, 6-12 in. long. Flowers in 

 July, pale blue, tubular, bell-shaped, 4-5- 

 cleft, in terminal clusters. 



Culture dc. as above for (?. cruciata. 



G. moorcroftiana. — A Himalayan 

 annual 4-10 in. high. Leaves 1-li in. 

 long, linear oblong or elliptic, without 

 nerves. Flowers in summer, pale blue, 

 solitary, at the ends of the branches, or in 

 leafy cymes. CoroUa |-1 in. long, fiumel- 

 shaped, naked, and without folds. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species is closely related to the native G. 

 campestris, and is probably a geographical 

 form of it. It may be increased by sowing 

 seeds annually in cold frames or in spots 

 where the plants are to bloom and pro- 

 tecting them with handlights until well 

 above the soil. 



G. nivalis. — A very smooth biennial 

 species, native of the Alps and Pyrenees, 

 having rather large 5-lobed flowers of an 

 intense deep blue, at the ends of the 

 branches 3-4 in. high, and usually branch- 



ing from the base. Leaves small, shining 

 green, the lower ones in the rosettes, and 

 obtusely oval. 



Culture and Propagation. — This 

 species requires the same general treat- 

 ment as Q. verna, but owing to its biennial 

 character should be raised from seeds 

 sown as soon as ripe every year. 



G. ochroleuca (G. intermedia). ■ — A 

 United States species about 6 in. high, 

 with obovate-oblong 3-nerved leaves. 

 Flowers in summer, blue, in clusters at 

 the ends of the branches. Calyx leafy, 

 unequally lobed. Corolla inflated in the 

 middle, 5-cleft. 



Culture dc. as above. 



G. ornata. — A beautiful Himalayan 

 species with ovate or linear lance-shaped, 

 acute or pointed deep green leaves 

 having a pale green midrib. Flowers in 

 May, whitish, striped with blue, some- 

 what cylindrical, a little inflated, and pro- 

 duced singly at the ends of the shoots ; 

 lobes 5, intensely blue, small, triangular. 



Culture dc. as above. This species 

 flourishes in moist and well-drained peaty 

 soil in partially shaded situations. The 

 stems are only 3-4 in. long, and spread 

 from the centre of the plant, forming tufts. 



G. pannonica. — An alpine species 1-2 

 ft. high. Lower leaves ovate apiculate ; 

 stem leaves ovate lance- shaped, flower 

 leaves tapering, on slightly 4-angled 

 stems. Flowers in June and July, bell- 

 shaped, 6-7 -lobed, purple, beset with dots, 

 and having a yellowish tube. They are 

 produced in clusters in the axils of the 

 upper leaves and at the end of the shoots. 



Culture dc. as above. 



G. Pneumonanthe {Wind Flower). — A 

 pretty British species 1-2 ft. high, with 

 4-angled stems ; also found throughout 

 the N. hemisphere. Leaves 1-1-J in. long, 

 linear oblong, blunt, 1-3-nerved. Flowers 

 in August and September, deep blue, 

 funnel-shaped, 1-2 in. deep, 5-lobed, vidth 

 a small green tooth between the lobes. 



G. ari^eriieMsis isa sturdy little Gentian, 

 closely allied to this species, and probably 

 only a form of it, but is more robust and 

 tufted in habit, andhas deeper blue flowers, 

 and finer and broader leaves. There is 

 also a white-flowered variety of G. Pneu- 

 monanthe and others. G. triflora from 

 the mountains of Central Asia, with large 

 handsome, deep blue flowers, is also very 

 near, as is also the Caucasian Q. barbata, 



