SALTMARSH ROSEGENTIAN 



Sabbatia stellaris Pursh 



The delicate star-shaped flowers of marsh rosegentian are distrib- 

 uted plentifully in salt marshes along the Atlantic coast, and acres of 

 the flowers may be seen in favored places in midsummer. The color 

 varies from white to deep pink. The contrast between the color 

 of the petals and the carmine-bordered yellow eye is most pleasing. 

 Many other Sabbatias grow in the eastern half of the United States, 

 especially southward. Some of them have even larger and brighter 

 flowers than the saltmarsh rosegentian. The Sabbatias belong to the 

 Gentian Family. 



Because of its preference for salt, this plant does not extend in- 

 land, but it spreads along the coast from Florida to Louisiana and 

 Maine. The flowers sketched were found near Bridgeport, Connecti- 

 cut. 



PLATE 342. 



