NAT. ORDER. 
Gentianem. 
GENTIANA ACAULIS. LARGP] FLOWERED GENTIAN. 
Class V. Pentandria. Order 11. Digynia. 
Gen. Char. Calyx, campanulate, four or five parted ; segments 
unequal. Corolla, tubular at the base. Stamens, five, equal. 
Germen, oblong, two stigmas, sessile, or with a style. 
Spe. Char. Stems, rough. Leaves, opposite, sessile, ovate, lanceo- 
late, subtrinerve, acute. Flowers, capitate, calicynal segments 
longer than the tube. Corolla, tubular, plaited. 
The root of this plant is large, woody, and of a purplish-yellow 
color ; the leaves are ovate-lanceolate, in sets or pairs, and spread 
considerable upon the ground ; the stein is from two to six inches in 
height, with one or two pairs of leaves on it, and terminated by one 
very large, upright, handsome flower, which is of a deep azure blue, 
dotted on the inside. When cultivated in gardens there are 
sometimes two and three flowers upon the same stem. It is said to 
be a native of Austria, but is found in some parts of the United States. 
All the Gentians are beautiful plants, more or less bitter in the 
roots or leaves. There are many species in the United States, some 
of which have only lately been noticed, and many are as yet 
undescribed. The Genus Gentiana took its name from Gentius, 
king of Illyria : it gives its name to a large Natural Family. This 
genus is a very heterogeneous one, although, striking by its habit ; 
but the flowers have the peculiarity of being variable in shapes and 
numbers, wherefore many botanists have rationally divided it into 
subgenera, which might be rather deemed Genera. 
This whole order is distinguished more readily by its habit alone 
than by character. The species are chiefly natives of cool and 
Vol. iv.— 54, 
