THE GENTIAN FAMILY 
37 
5. Tufted Centaury. (Centaurium capitdtum. Rendle and Britten.)— A species 
differing from all the others in its stamens being inserted on the base of the corolla-tube. The 
calyx is as long as the corolla-tube, and the stem is unbranched, not more than 3 inches high, 
with egg-shaped, 3-veined leaves often narrowing into a stalk, those of the root in a rosette. 
{Erythrcea capitata. Willd. ) 
Rare. On downs in the Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Sussex, and Northumberland. July — August. 
Annual or biennial. 
III. GENTIANELLA. (MICROCALA. Hoffmgg. and Link.) — Flowers small, about £ inch 
across, yellow, on long stalks, in very loose clusters, the central flower opening first (cymes). 
Calyx of 4 sepals, united into a tube at the base, with 4 short, broad teeth at the top, free from 
and inserted below the seedcase (inferior) ; corolla of 4 petals, the tube funnel- and the limb 
salver-shaped, inserted below the seedcase (hypogynous) ; stamens 4, inserted in the throat of the 
corolla-tube ; carpels 2, the style simple and the stigma pin-head-like ; fruit a capsule, 1- or 
imperfectly 2-celled, opening at the top by 2 valves. Small annual herbs with entire opposite 
leaves. ( Cicendia . Adans.) 
Lesser Gentianella. (Microc&la filiformis. Hoffmgg. and Link.)— The only British 
species. As just described. The small yellow flowers only open in bright sunshine ; the 
stem is 2-6 inches high, erect, slender, and smooth, branched only at the top and that but 
slightly; and the leaves are few and very small and narrow. ( Cicendia filiformis. Delarbre.) 
[ Plate 13. 
Rare. Sandy heaths in the south-west of England and in the south-west of Ireland. July — 
October. Annual. 
IV. CICEN'DIA. Adans. — This genus consists of the one following species. Many botanists 
place with it the preceding species, Microcala filiformis. 
Least Cicendia, or Guernsey Gentianella. (Cicendia pusil'la. Griseb.)— This 
species differs mainly from the preceding one, Gentianella (Microcala), in the sepals being free to 
the base instead of being united into a tube at the base. The flowers are very small and of a pink 
colour, on long, slender stalks, in such loose clusters as to appear solitary. The whole plant is 
minute and very inconspicuous ; the stems are 1-3 inches high, much branched from the base, 
with a few pairs of narrow leaves. 
Very rare. On damp sandy commons in Guernsey. July — September. Annual. 
V. GENTIAN. (GENTIANA. Linn.) — Flowers blue or purple in the British species, either 
solitary and terminal, or in small clusters in the axils of the leaves forming oblong or spike-like 
leafy clusters. Calyx of 5, rarely 4 sepals, united into a tube at the base, inserted below the 
seedcase ; corolla of 5, rarely 4 petals, united into a tube and then separating into the same 
number of lobes, occasionally with alternating teeth, bell-, funnel- or salver-shaped, the throat 
of the tube contracted and often closed with hairs, inserted below he seedcase (hypogynous) ; 
stamens 5, rarely 4, inserted in the corolla-tube (epi-petalous) ; carpels 2, with the style absent 
and the 2 stigmas remaining with and crowning the fruit; fruit a capsule, 1 -celled, many-seeded, 
opening from the top down the cell-walls (septicidal) by 2 valves. Herbs with opposite entire 
stalkless (sessile) leaves. 
