SPRING GENTIAN

Gentiana verna

Gentian [Gentianaceae]

29th May 2004, Upper Teesdale.

Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

A very rare plant found in only a handful of hectads in isolated limestone mountainous areas. A very low perennial, to 7cm high. Has five propellor-shaped petals.

29th May 2004, Upper Teesdale.

Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

Flowers are a strident and most un-usual blue, possibly only equalled by the brilliant blue of some Milkworts such as Chalk Milkwort. Five short blue and white segments protrude from near the centre. The sepal tube is very long but almost hidden by the single flower.

29th May 2004, Upper Teesdale.

Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

The centre of the flower is slightly depressed and is white.

29th May 2004, Upper Teesdale.

The centre contains a white, near-circular frilly disc. The petals may also be similarly slightly fringed. The blue and white central segments partially split into two resembling whales tails.

The Gentians are split up into three Genera, the mainly purplish Gentianella and the mainly deep blue Gentiana of which this is one (there are another four, one much rarer even than this one). The third Genera accomodates Fringed Gentain which was recently removed from Gentianella and inserted into the Genera, Gentianopsis (where it resides on its own in the UK, but worldwide there are about a dozen species in Gentianopsis).

Some similarities to : Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis ciliata) but that has only four petals which are fringed more discernibly. Also to Alpine Gentian (Gentianela nivalis) but that has much smaller flowers only 7-10mm across against the large 17-30mm of Spring Gentian.

Spring Gentian is found in Upper Teesdale and on The Burren in County Clare, Ireland.

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Distribution
family8Gentian family8Gentianaceae

BSBI maps

Gentiana
(Gentians)