BLUEGREEN GENTIAN 



Genttana g),auca Pallas 



Several species of gentian are common in the Canadian Rockies, 

 but the bluegreen gentian is a most elusive plant. I have found it only 

 in the region of Ptarmigan Pass, where it is extremely local, inhabiting 

 northern slopes, near the borders of alpine lakes. Following a trail 

 that the horses had made in order to reach the higher meadows, where 

 the sweet short grass was plentiful, we found the shy beauty. The 

 plants grow singly or in clumps with three or four clusters of blue- 

 green flowers. The pale leaves form a rosette about the base of each 

 blooming stem. The flowers are a peculiar shade of blue-green. They 

 resemble closed gentians more than other members of the family 

 found in the region, since the small pointed petals do not fully expand 

 even with full sunshine. Blooming in August in the exposed situa- 

 tions that they prefer, above tree line, the plants are often caught by 

 the early frosts, and thus are prevented frequently from ripening seeds. 



The bluegreen gentian, sometimes placed in the genus Dasyste- 

 phana, is found from Montana to British Columbia and Alaska, and 

 also in Siberia. 



The specimen sketched grew near a small lake eight miles by trail 

 northeast of Lake Louise, Alberta, at an altitude of 7,500 feet 



PLATE IOS 



